THE CANTERBURY- MEAT EXPORT COMPANY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2929, 30 May 1870, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE CANTERBURY - MEAT EXPORT COMPANY.

The hon, Mr Fox visited the works of this company on May 13. Mr R, Wilkin, the Secretary, and several gentlemen connected with the works, accompanied Mr Fox on the occasion. On arrival Mr Fox was received by Mr Pastier, the acting manager of the company, who showed him over the premises, and explained all the mysteries of the craft. After rather more than the hindrances usually met with at the commencement of every new undertaking, the Canterbury Meat Company got fairly to work about a month ago, and may now be said to be in good working trim. The locale of the company has been objected to by some, but appears to us to fulfil all the primary conditions required in a work of this description. The distance from town is enough to obviate all fear of nuisance for many years to come, while the vicinity of the railroad enables those who are concerned in the works to visit them without any serious loss of time. The soil is of a very suitable character, being light, dry, and porous, 'there is an abundant supply of excellent water obtainable at the trifling coat of the application of the surplus steam power on the premises. Taken altogether, and bearing in mind the low price at which the site was acquired, we should say the company could hardly have made a better choice. In describing the works we nm.it commence with the slaughter-house, which stands at some distance in rear of the principal building, with which it is connected by a wooden tramway. Here, from four to five hundred sheep are killed and cleaned every day. The arrangements are so good that it would be almost impossible for a stranger to conceive that so much disagreeable work could be carried on in a way so little offensive to the senses. To show how perfect the process must be, we need only mention that five butchers do all the work of the house, and at the same time keep it wonderfully clean. After the carcases hare hung the requisite time they are placed on trucks and carried into the mam building. On arrival at the entrance they pass into the hands of what may be termed the head carver, who divides them into quarters and joints. I he best parts of the beat sheep are then cut up and separated from the bones. The prime meat is set aside for the packers, the inferior parts and fat for the tallow inciters, and the bones are kept to be turned into soup. As fast as the best of the meat is separated from the boues it is thrown into baskets, which are handed across a table to the packers, who cut and weigh it into quantities of seven pounds, roll

it up and pack it in the tins. Other band* then fill the tins up with soup and pass them on to the tin-men, who fit on the tops and colder them' down, leaving, however, an opening of about the size of a pin’* point in the top of each. Hie ting are then piled upon trucks and taken into the cooking room, where they are placed in steam baths till they are properly cooked. This process, which requires more than usual care and occupies about two hours, being ended, the small opening is immediately soldered up and the tins placed in another vat, where they are allowed to cool. From this the next journey is into the testing room, where they are submitted to a very high temperature for a certain period in order to provo whether they are fit for keeping. This crucial test having been successfully borne, the preserved meat is considered fit to travel round the world, and can be kept fresh for any conceivable period. The after processes are comparatively unimportant, and consist of painting, labelling, and packing. At present, owing to a want of hands in the tinning department, a considerable quantity of rolled meat is being cured in the establishment. The [ roeess is akin to that of Mr Tallcrmann’s, and to all appearance, the meat is well cured and of excellent quality. After viewing the various processes at work in the establishment, the visitors adjourned to the manager’s house and partook of a very capital luncheon of preserved meat. It is said that good wine needs no bush ; we can say from personal experience that if the Canterbury Company’s meat reaches England in as good a form as it appeared on this occasion, it will need nothing but an intimate acquaintance on the part of the British public to enter largely into consumption. It is impossible to doubt the success of this experiment and equally its effect upon the pastoral interest. A fixed, if not a high value, has now been placed upon what has hitherto been considered of no value. The surplus stock of this island, failing meat preserving, would soon have become absolutely worthless. Now, a value has been put upon the poorest sheep. As soon as the refuse have been cleared away by the boiling down establishments, we may expect to find that a fairly remunerative price will be established for good sheep. So much for the sheep farmer. From another point of view, the new industry is a cause for congratulation. The Canterbury Meat Company already finds remunerative employment for fifty men. It will soon have to be enlarged, and we may expect that room will be found in the province for other works of a similar kind. We cannot conclude without congratulating the management upon its successful commencement, which reflects the highest credit on all concerned. Subjoined we give a calculation which has been banded to us by a gentleman who has had a mob of sheep preserved. It will be seen that sheep averaging 47 lbs are calculated to yield a net return of seven shillings. ESTIMATED RESULT OF PRESERVING SHEEP. 8. d. S. d. Charge for tinning, &c., per lb., cases, &c 0 2£ Freight, at 52s 6d per ton... 7 0 Insurance, 40s do 15 Lighterage, 10s do 1 4 Commission, 2£ per cent... 1 9J Brokerage, 1 per cent ... 0 Exchange, 1 per cent ... 0 Or equal to per case ... ... 12 11| 0 1 Or per lb 0 3£ Preserved meat sells for ... 0 6 Leaves a balance per lb ... 2£ The whole sheep produces meat, say ISlbs, at 2}d, as above 3 9 Skin 1 1 Tallow, lOlbs, at 36s (selling now at 45s in London) 3 b 0* Less boiling down, 9d; casks, 3fd ... 1 0| Total returns nett for a sheep of 45 to 50lbs 7 0