FREEZING MEAT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXI, Issue 10309, 30 March 1894, Page 6

FREEZING MEAT.

MEETING OP THE OANTEEBUEY COMPANY. The twelfth annual meeting of shareholders of the Canterbury Frozen Meat and Dairy Produce Export Company was held at the hall of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday afternoon. There were about twenty shareholders present, and Mr John Grigg (chairman of directors) occupied the chair. ANNUAL EEFOBT AND BALANCE-SHEET. The report, which has already been published, was taken as read, together with the balance-sheet. The total liabilities were shown to be £46,867 8s 7d, and the assets £81,193 17s 3d, the balance being £34,325 8s Bd. The profit and loss account showed a net profit of £244714a 2d. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, said that very little was left for him to say. One or two things, however, had been omitted from the report. One of these was the change which had been made during the year with reference to the payment of freight. It would be remembered that freight had been made payable in London, and the consignees had therefore the power of recouping themselves for any damages which might have occurred in transit. But an offer had been made by a Shipping Company to the Freezing Company, to the effect that if it would waive the clause and make freights payable here, the Shipping Company would deduct the full amount of the primage of 5 per cent. This the company accepted bo far as any individual shipper might care to avail himself of it. The present arrangement was that shippers could either pay in London and have the clause enforced, or pay here and have the clause waived, and get the 5 per cent allowed on the part of the shipping companies. It was very satisfactory to note that a great improvement had taken place in the safe carriage of meat, and it might be attributed to the adoption of a suggestion that had been made by the Freezing Company to the effect that a bonus should be given to the officers on those ships which carriedmeatingood condition. The damage now sustained by meat mainly took place in the stores in London, and there was there still considerable room for improvement. There was no doubt that soma of the damage might occur in the unloading of the ship in very hot weather. One great difficulty all along had been, to induce labourers to work in tbe holds of vessels whilst the machinery was going. In New Zealand no such difficulty occurred, the men working whilst the machinery was in action. He had always been at a loss to understand why English labourers could not do tho same thing. Perhaps it was because their blood was thinner, and because they were not fed so well or paid so well. That might bo the explanation, and it should be overcome by shipping companies paying higher rates of wages to the men working in the holds. As the shareholders . were aware,. the new machinery was working admirably. In fact it was exceeding expectations exceeding even the statements put forward by the makers. It appeared that they scarcely knew the power of their machines. At the last meeting the question had. been asked whether the company could not pay a half-yearly dividend, and it had then been said that seeing the financial condition of-the country at that time, and also the requirements of the company in the way of fresh machinery, it would be uuadvisable to pay an interim dividend. But libera was little doubt that this yeas the directors would be able 1 to pay a half-yearly dividend. One of the most unsatisfactory things was the want of shipping space, and this want was felt very much indeed. Last year it had been just the same at this period and also the year before. Last year, however, there had'beek a break-down of two steamers, and .the shipping companies had been entirely'exonerated from financial responsibility, but this year he did not think that such , would be the case. The fault lay with the shipping companies, and was the result of mismanagement. One company in particular—he wished to speak plainly—was much to blame. Its ships had been kept laid up in London for whole months waiting for cargo to suit, and had then come out in ballast. All the stores in New Zealand were now nearly full, and tho space which the ships had was not nearly sufficient and would not be for several weeks. This was an immense disadvantage, and he hoped that it would be very strongly represented to the shipping companies and some alterations made so that it would nob occur again. For the past eight or nine years he had been of opinion, and had often said that what wss wanted to make the frozen meat trade an entirely satisfactory one, would be arrangements whereby the meat could be thawed before it was retailed in London. It seemed to him that it was self-evident that such would be of great advantage, and that it would mean an advance in the prico of the meat of a penny per pound. He had seen a paragraph in the Lyttelton Times, taken from, an Article by the London correspondent of the Argus, which said that Mr Weddell, of frozen meat fame, had made a discovery which he anticipated would much augment the value of frozen beef and mutton. By the aid of electricity a new method of thawing meat had been adopted, and experts had declared that meat so treated was eaual in valuo to chilled beef. A moderate quantity of ouch meat would bo placed on the Smithfield market, and Mr Weddell was of the opinion that the price would be raised Id per lb, and that the beat of our mutton would be equal to Scotch mutton. This confirmed his (the Chairman’s) view. He had much pleasure in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. The Hon B. Gray seconded the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. Mr G; D. Greenwood referred to the fact that owners of stock had not always the opportunity of sending their sheep away when they were cheapest here and dearest in tho Old Country. Those sheep-farmers who had been fortunate enough to secure space just at the present time would reap the enhanced values, and those who had to ■wait would probably get their goods on the market when prices were lower. Ha suggested that some arrangements.should be made for freezing sheep and holding them until a suitable time,for shipment. Mr P. Cunningham quite agreed that this ought to be done; and said he thought the shipping companies might; be fairly asked to contribute; - :

Mr Aotoa-Adams. was disappointed- to find that so little arrangements had been made to get ships away in April. The heaviest shipments should, he said, bo made during March, April and May, The Chairman said that though they had a hard and fast agreement with the shipping companies to taka, away their meat as required, the companies had been unable to meet the demand made upon them. There was no doubt that increased storage would have to.be erected here. .Farmers had themselves to blame, to a great extent, for not .being able to get their meat away wheathey wanted. They had not hooked space in advance. Mr Cunningham pointed out that the shipping companies required three months’ notice to be able to keep the trade supplied with space for freight. The Hon E. Gray suggested that storage space should be provided in England rather than at this end, and the mutton could be kept frozen and then thawed as it was required. The Chairman said there were strong objections to this proposal. One reason was that they should meet the shipping companies here as far as possible, and storage in London was never satisfactory. Mr Greenwood said tho company had now had twelve years’ experience, and always found a difficulty in getting farmers to hook forward, and the directors had surely had sufficient experience to be able to know approximately what space would be required. , , ' . The report and balance-sheet were adopted. directors. Messrs J. T. Ford and W. Chryatall, being the only persona nominated, were reelected! directors.

AUDITORS. Messrs A. M. Ollivier and W. H. E. Wanklyn were re-elected auditors for the year at a fee of twenty-five guineas. VOTES OP THANKS. _ On the motion of the Hon E, Gray, seconded by Mr H. Overton, a vote of thanks was passed to tbe directors. On the motion of Mr P. Cunningham, seconded by Mr Tialine, a vote of thanks was passed to the secretary and staff. Mr Waymouth, on behalf of himself and fellow.workers, returned thanks, and the meeting terminated.