COLONIAL PRODUCE AT HOME.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6475, 28 November 1881, Page 3

COLONIAL PRODUCE AT HOME.

The subjoined extracts from private letters received by the last San Francisco mail, and -placed at our disposal for publication, will be read with interest by all’ who recognise tbo importance of exporting farm produce to England : BEFBIGBKATIOK. Mr J. L. Coster, manager for the New Zealand Shipping Company, writing from London under date Oct. 6, says “We went on board the Orient on her arrival in dock yesterday, and saw her refrigerator at work. Wo went into cold air chamber and inspected the meat, which I am glad to say ha* apparently arrived in perfect order. Mr Haslam, the maker of the machinery, and who is fitting the Mataura for us, was present, and expressed himself perfectly satisfied, and quite confident of the future success. Our machine will have some improvements, and I hope will be used from some port in March next. She will hare room for 200 to 240 tons weight of meat. I also went previously to the Smithfield dead meat market, selected an Australian sheep carcass, acd had a saddle cut from it. The carcass looked just like any other mutton, though inside you could see moisture from thawing. The saddle I took down into Somersetshire, and after hanging it for three days it was roasted. Before cooking, it looked like any other mutton, and the cook, who had been in the family for many rears, thought I had brought down a special bit of small mutton. The food was the best muilon I had eaten since leaving New Zealard —the juice was in the meat, and could be ladled up from the cut. All who partook of it expressed the opinion that the meat was admirable, and not distinguishable from English, excepting that it had a darker colour (indicating a more mature age when killed) and a huer grain. They were altogether pleased, and the servanta who had it cold also cnjoved it. Thd butchers seem to bo raising difficulties as to the disposal of the imported meat, and I feel convinced supply their customers with it, not as Australian frozen meat, hut as prime Welsh or hill mutton, at the highest price. The meat I purchased was ex Ouzco, had been out of the refrigerator about eight hours, and was charged to tao at 8d per lbwas nothing to indicate at the stall that the meat was Australian, although on asking the officials where I could find if, I was properly directed. The vendor showed mo some Devonshire mutton, which he said was worth 9fcd, but I find saddles are retailed at about Is." GBAIN ASP MBAT; The following is an extract from a letter received bv the Hon E. Kichardson from a friend in 'Oakley, Bedfordshire, the barley referred to being a sample taken from grain sold hero at 2s 6d per bushell showed your barley to several msisters, and it is worth 40s per qr., so you see you would have done better to ship it Home. There is verylittle good barley in the country this year. Nearly all is stained with wet, and the average price obtained for it, I fear, will be under 30s per quarter. Don’t think of sending any oats Home that are not good ones. Say 421 b per bushel, natural weight. I hoar peo pie have lost a lot of money over the middling lots, the competition is so keen; but good oats will alwaytf sell well. * * * The Australian meat doesn’t appear to affect the markets, nor do I think it ever will as regards the better qualities. With all due deference to colonial feeders, I never tasted any mutton in New Zealand equal to %highly fed Southdown, or any other black faced breed. Another reason why the colonial moat doesnt soli more readily, is the fact of the middle men taking such tremendous profits. I saw a log of Australian mutton m our town, Bedford, sold lasfc week at Bid per lb, which price has to compete with English mutton to the disadvantage of the former; as, however good the arrangements may bo for shipping, the meat has a decidedly sodden and * uueyeablo ’ appearance. • • • New Zealand wheat, although of fine quality, is not liked by millers. It u very weak, and won’t turn out anything like the amount of bread that English will when good.”