The Evening Star WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1884.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 4255, 16 January 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1884.

For tho cause that lacks assistance, for the wrong that needs rcsistanco, I'or the future in the distance. And the kooU that we can do.

Tfiomilt the frozen meat trade is still on its trial, and many persons express fears of its ultimate failure, the results already attained are sufficient to attract an increasing investment of capital. Despite the permanent establishment of two lines of direct steamers, Mr John Reid, of Elderslie, Otago, has just concluded a contract in London which entails the building of another steamer, and possibly more, specially for this trade. Ho guarantees a British firm of shipowners six consecutive cargoes, each comprising 25,000 sheep, at intervals of six months, the meat to be frozen on board at Oamaru, the steamer lying there for that purpose for a period of thirty-five days, and fifteen days being allowed in London for the disposal of the meat, which is to be distributed through agencies all over England and Scotlnnd. It is claimed that under this contract about a penny a pound, orb's per sheep of T'Jlbs weight, will be saved, as compared with the heavy expenses that now prove so serious an obstacle to the permanence of the trade; and that the freight will still pay tho shipowner good interest on a steamer worth about £40,000 and capable of making two complete trips in the year. Economy of working, rather than a high rate of speed, will he aimed at in the construction of steamers designed for this trade, although it i.f expected that the homeward passage will not greatly exceed fifty days. The ships are to bo divided into tnree compartments, each fitted with a 801 - Coleman ref'.igerator, thereby dividing the risk of failure on so large a cargo. The terms of this contract challenge the system of meat-freezing which has been adopted by all the companies now in operation in New Zealand. Mr Reid has acted on the supposition that it will U: cheaper to use the ship as a freezing chamber and store, even reckoning a fair allowance for detention, than to provide freezing depots ashore, where a cargo can be prepared in readinosa to give vessels quick despatch. It is a very nice question, because although we grant what he claims, that there is a saving in tho amount of capital laid out, and lesa handling, tho expenses of a large steamer with full complement of hands for a period of 35 days in no trifle. We must also take into account tho greater earnings of a ship fitted for the passenger and general freight trade, and v.sing the frozen meat as only an incidental item in its general traffic receipts. The experiment is altogether an interesting one, and its issue will be watched with more than passing interest by all persons who are concerned in the success of this trade. The conclusion of tho contract, however, irrespective of its merits as testing an important principle in meat exportation, assures us-of the confidence of practical men in the success of the effort to compete in the supply of fresh meat to the English market, and we must consider that to men like Mr Reid, representing large wool-growing interests, the periodical clearing-off of surplus stocks is not a matter of choice liut of necessity; and while the expott of. frozen meat yields even ft better price than the wasteful destruction of food in boiling-down, it will be ()> no immediate danger of disappearing from the list of Now Zealand exports.