THE PRESERVING INDUSTRY.

MEAT-CANNING AND JAMMAKING. UP-TO-DATE LOCAL FACTORIES. The canning industry of Dunedin —or, more correctly, of New Zealand—was commenced in a very small way over 50 years ago by Messrs Irvine and Stevenson (now Irvine and Stevenson's St. George Company, Ltd) in a- small factory in George street. The first venture was jam-making, and other lines were gradually added, until the company's list of products now comprises no fewer than 34 entirely different articles, while,' if different varieties and sizes are taken into account, the list numbers over 300 lines. Besides a large factory in Filleul street, Dunedin, the company has nine subsidiary factories in" different parts of New Zealand. At the commencement of the operations all cans (or tins as they are called in New Zealand) were practically hand-made, this being at that time the only method in use in any part of the world. Gradually it was superseded by machine-power presses, with travelling machines which soldered oi) tops and bottoms, while a little later came body-forming machines. It was, however, within the past 10 or 12 years that canning all over the world received its greatest impetus, through the invention of a machine called a double-seamer, or closing machine. One of these machines can put more tops and bottoms on cans in one day than 200 men or 50 soldering machines could in the same time. Further, as no solder is used, the tins are cleaner in every way; in fact, if housewives realised how scientific and clean the canning industry is to-day, there would not be the prejudice which is sometimes found to exist against tinned foods.

The St. George Company owes its success largely to its policy of keeping abreast of the latest methods in canning and machinery, and to-day it is able to cope with more surplus fruit than is grown in the Otago district. The fact that over 300 tons of fruit were used in jam-making and fruit-canning by this one business last year speaks eloquently of the class of machinery that is used. Of this fruit, about one-third had to be brought from Nelson and other districts. In passing, it is interesting to note that the New Zealand grower receives on an average four to five times the price for his fruit that is paid to fruitgrowers in America—the home of the canning industry. Messrs Hihton's, Ltd., is another firm located in Dunedin which has progressed from a small beginning in the lines of jammaking and fruit-canning. This firm commenced manufacturing some 18 years, ago for its retail business. Eecently it was floated into a limited liability company, and it now has an up-to-date factory in South Dunedin.

Meat-canning is a business which came into increased prominence in the dominion during the war. Most people may be surprised to learn that meat-canning is the chief activity of Messrs Irvine and Stevenson. Their factory actually uses about 150 head of cattle per week. Practically the whole of the meat canned in Otago is exported to other countries —chiefly to England, an<l thus it is that the trade does not come under the notice of the man in the street. Every body of beef shrinks to exactly one-half by the time that bones and gristle are removed, and it shrinks further in cooking. This applies equally to ordinary fresh meafc used at home. It is an interesting fact which is not generally known. The St. George Company has always specialised in such fancy lines as canned pies, sausages, chicken, etc., and many a soldier on active service must have hailed with delight the presence of a St. George tin in his "buckshee" parcel. During the war St. George canned foods were sold to the British War Office, the Y.M.C.A., the New Zealand Defence Department, etc. St. George canned vegetables, soups, whitebait, plum puddings, etc., were the only canned foods taken by the s.s. Aurora on the "South Polar expedition in 1916. Since the outbreak of the war a canning business, known as the Otago Preserving Co., Ltd., has been inaugurated at Burnside. With a modern plant and premises, this company turns out .quantities of canned beef • and mutton for the London market.

As has besn the case with many other manufactures of New Zealand, starchmaking was first started in Dunedin, the pioneers being Messrs Irvine and Stevenson, whose starch is used from end to end of New Zealand. The only basis used in New Zealand for starch is rice, which contains about 80 per cent, of starch. Messrs Irvine and Stevenson turn out starch at the rate of 10 tons per week. This :is the largest output by any one firm in New Zealand.

Messrs Gregg and Co. have also been manufacturing starch for a number of years, their factory being situated alongside the Leith in Harbour terra ;3.

There is no doubt that the Wa'pori e!ec tricity-generating station has been an important factor in helping along manufac turing in Dunedin. In the St. George factory, for instance, there is not a single steam engine used, although boilers have to be kept going for steam cooking. The only condensed milk manufacturing business in Otago is that conducted by Mr L. S. Dyer, of Mosgiel. In a wellequipped factory, Mr Dyer personally supervises the manufacture of his particular brand of condensed milk. The milk is collected in big motor wagons, and is then placed in large covered, polished pans, with the requisite amount of pure cane sugar, and boiled until it reaches the correct density. In order that the natural milk colour may be retained, the boiling must be done at a much lower temperature than ordinary boiling point, and the pumps, which maintain a steady vacuum in the closed pans, enable this to be done A large factory for the manufacture of condensed milk is controlled by Messrs W. T. M url ' a y, Ltd., of Invercargill, the business being carried on at Wallacetown, about five miles from Invercargill. A very fine grade of milk is manufactured here, and it not only has a large local demand throughout New Zealand, but is exported in considerable quantities.