FROZEN MEAT

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 148, 19 December 1929, Page 28

FROZEN MEAT

DINNER IN LONDON

SIR J. PARR CHIEF GUEST

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

LONDON, 18th October.

The autumn dinner of the British Association of Refrigeration is invariably a pleasant affair. This year Sir James Parr was the chief guest. Lord Kyi sant (the president) was in the chair, and at his table were also Sir Esmond Ovey (H.M. Ambassador to Brazil), Mr. W. B: Esson, Lord Dudley Gordon," and Mr. R. M. Leonard. Representatives of the shipping companies trading 'th New Zealand were also present. As an appropriate decoration, behind the president's table there were several pillars of ice lighted ur by coloured electric bulbs.

To the High Commissioner was entrusted the toast of "The British Association of Refrigeration." He made an amusing reference to the photograph that had been taken earlier in the evening. If this should be printed in New Zealand, he said, and the people there saw him standing beside the Son of Am.) they might feel that their High Commissioner was not earning the magnificent salary he was paid. The reference was to the chairman, Lord Kylsant, who is 6ft 6Jin in height. Sir James Parr went on to say hat it was appropriate that New Zealand's representative should propose the toast, as nr other country in the world was so dependent upon refrigeration for its prosperity. To-day New Zealand was the greatest exporter of refrigerated produce relatively in the world. In 1880 the country was fae ing a crisis in its economic history Most fortunately there came just about that time the application of refrigeration to food stuffs. The Dominion was quick to take up the new discovery, and in 1882 the sailing ship Dunedin left Port Chalmers with a cargo of 59S carcasses of frozen lamb and 4311 carcasses of frozen mutton, and this sold on the London market at 6Jd and 6Jd per lb respectively. The freight wat 2}d per lb.

The High Commissioner went on to quote figures showing how the refrig crated export trade had grown from that time- to this. To-day New Zea land supplied, he said, about half th< carcasses of meat that came to this country—lß4 million as compared witli 190 million from the rest of the world. The Empire was united not only by ties of blood and race, but it was unit ed by trade and commerce, which help ed to hold it together much more closely than people were apt to think. And this trade was made possible mainly by refrigeration. New Zealand was not content with what had already been done. She was continuing research work, and three scientists had recently gone out to investigate the whole subject of the storage and transport of meat. They could not see why the Argentine should have all its own way in regard to the supply of beef to Britain, and they did not despair yet that they might find a way of sending New Zealand and Australian beef to this country at an economic price.

Lord Kylsant, in responding, said he thought they had every reason to look forward to the future of industry and trade in this country with hope and confidence.

The "Health of the Visitors" was proposed by Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Dudley Gordon (a past president), and acknowledged by Sir Esmond Ovey. During the evening an excellent musical programme was provided by an orchestra and vocalists.