FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1341, 19 January 1912, Page 8

FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

, i N.Z. COMPANIES TAKE ACTIOS. FACILITIES AT LONDON" END. Tho movomcnt on the part of-Hio JS'ew/ Zealand Producers' Association to v secure better facilities at the South-West '■ India Docks for the handling and reception'-ol frozen meat from New Zealand has been I prominently beforo (ho public for sflmo i timo past, and the association's Lonaon » representative, Mr. F. J. is now J on his way from England to report pro--, gross to the association. ■. Little, however,' j has been heard of the movement by die -j freezing companies of tlio North Island ,', who have no'offices'in London. Dr. W. ' Robinson, who for somo years has been ' inspecting a considerable proportion of * tlio New Zealand meat whilo act- " ing for tho Underwriters' Association, 1 was ongaged by the .'above'.--companies lo watch tlio handling of New Zealand > meat, and ho lias been in New Zealand :j for tho past six weeks, familiarising himself with the- methods in vogue tit this J end, in order to be able to voice New Zealand views in 'the matter of batter facilities for tho handling of frozen meat on its arrival in London. Dr. Robinson is to meet a conference of representatives of tho North Island companies at Wellington on Jauuary 24, prior to his return to' the Old Country. In company with Mr. W. G. Poster, chairman . of the 0 Associated companies, Dr." Robinson has 'been visiting various freezing works in e both islands, and accumulating iuforma- v tion which' he expects will'prove valuable a to him on his return Home: .According f lo Dr. Robinson, tho chief cause of Jj rlmmigc sustained by the meat on arrival v at London at present. - is the poor accom- B juodation for-discharge and the necessity j for sorting at the ship's side, and con- . sequent delay between the ship and the shore. What is. required, it is stated, is the provision of refrigerated fiortingflheds, into which the froz°n meat, cargoes 'j can Mx> discharged, and from which the meat jwoiildAe .distributed. Some of the barges in which the greater portion of tho Tjroducp is taken to the up-river stores are, says ,Dr,.' Robinson,- somewhat old, j but he* hail iiot seen any that were not ( fairly>well.adapted-for,the purpose, or c any that, were not .properly maintained, g They r w'ere all. inspected,'and passed by f tho "representatives of the underwriters, g When the barges were iillcd quickly, and i closed down, the meat was not likely to 0 coino to any harm; any,,dninngo which 1 might occur was owing to' tho slow load- ] ing of the barge, and the fact that the c meat was exposed to ordinary atmos- \ plieric conditions during loading. This, f with perhaps sonio. considerable delay at r the destination before discharge, often s resulted in a number of carcasses beeom- } ing defrosted, and consequent deteriora- c tion. With a refrigerating shed, all tho 1 meat would be stored ready for distribtt- j tion, under a proper temperature, by ex- t ports in handling meat, instead of by tho j casual labourers as at present. The t Port of London Authority, according to s Dr. Robinson, has expressed a willingness r to meet the requirements of New Zea- \ land by providing what facilities are de- j sired by those in a position to give them i an adequate assuranco that such works 1 will bo sufficiently used. Various points, c including proximity to Smithfield market,-' r says Dr. Robinson, render tho South-West p India Dock the preferable site for the f rcquisito refrigerated sorting-shed, but c the Port Authority's present refrigerated c stores are at the junction of tho Victoria s and Albert Docks, and close to the ad- y ilitions which are to bo commenced at the j 'Albert Dock. Necessarily the Authority ■[ would require stronger-inducements to j provide entirely new storage and sorting accommodation at the Sonth-West India j Docks than to construct the storage sheds in connection with the present stores. Tlio unanimity or otherwise of tho decision of tho vnrions companies in New Zealand would no doubt, says Dr. Robinson, affect the ultimate decision of the Port Authority. If tho companies gave sufficient assurance of support to the project to justify the necessary expenditure on the part of the Authority, "there was ( | no doubt that the necessary storage and sorting accommodation would bo con- r structed, at the South-West India Dock. >■ At the same time the chief requisite was ' co obtain tho necessary accommodation, a the actual site being necessarily a second- c pry consideration. j;