ANXIOUS TO ASSIST

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 187, 7 May 1934, Page 8

ANXIOUS TO ASSIST

Development of Chilled. Meat Trade SHIPOWNER’S INQUIRIES Dominion Special Service. Auckland, May 6. “Shipowners generally were never more anxious to combine with shippers to make the chilled meat business sue l cessful and profitable to all concerned than they are to-day,” said Sir Thomas Robinson, of Condon, a director of the New Zealand and Federal Steam Navigation Shipping Company, who arrived by the Monterey from Sydney. “I have been in conference with my colleagues on board on all points connected with this new development in Australia,” said Sir.- Thomas, “and when I return to London we shall as tar as possible adopt our tonnage as far as may be necessary to cope with the business and to co-operate with shippers to make it a success.” Sir Thomas, who is accompanied by Lady Robinson, has spent about three months in Australia on a combined business and holiday visit, and will leave Wellington on Friday by the Rangitata for England. “The meat trade has engaged a good deal, of my attention iu Australia,” said Sir Thomas. “A great change is taking place in the beef trade owing to researches at Cambridge ' aud experiments at this end. A period of 40 days between the kill and the consumed was sufficient for the River Blate trade, but this was not long enough to cover the voyage between England and Australia. “However; by an admixture of atmosphere with gases which are in no way deleterious to. the meat the period during which meat can be safely maintained in a chilled condition has been increased to between 50 and 60 days. In order to meet the requirements of economical carriage we want “ that period extended by another 10 days at least if possible.” He was assured by abattoir authorities in Australia that the treatment would not increase costs as compared with frozen meat by more than the equivalent of 1-32 of a penny per lb., f.o.b. This he thought was a hopeful indication. The increase of 1-32 of a penny would .obviously be more than compensated for by the market return, perhaps 2d. per lb. greater than that from frozen beef,