QUEENSLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 15003, 25 May 1909, Page 4

QUEENSLAND.

("Sydney Mail.”)

Queensland is essentially a pastoral State. To many it is classed as a cattle country, but the-fact is that it also boats any other State, except New South Wales, in regard to the number of its sheep. The operations of the moat works are, of course, a matter of enormous importance to tho inhabitants. for not only do these works employ a large number of hands—and necessarily lead to the circulation of a lot qf money locally—but their operations largely affect the prosperity of the squatters and their dependents on tile runs. Just at present all the works in. Queensland are in full swing, and ,a very busy season is expected. Buyers for the works are already operating heavily, so that the number of bead to go through the various establishments is bouud to be large. Of course, much will depend on tile success or otherwise of the Queensland Meat Export Company in regard to tho contract for the supply of meat for the troops in the Philippines—a contract which the company has held for some years, and with satisfaction to the American authorities. The statistics for the meat trade of Queensland have not yet been issued officially, but advance figures obtained show that tho quantity of beof “ preserved by the cold process ” and exported last year was 3,800,0001 b, valued at £421,000. The United Kingdom took the largest quantity—over eleven million pounds, valued at £122,000. Trade with Cape Colony represented £17,824, with Egypt about the same amount, with Hong Kong £3500, with Malta £BOOO, witli Natal £23,000, Straits Settlements £9400, Japan £4400, Java £I7OO, Philippines £143,000 and Siberia £70,000. The export in tins was 4,449 ; 0001b, valued at £82,000. The United Kingdom took consignments valued at £63,000, and the next largest customer was India with £7200. Other countries which took this class of meat were China; Papua, Holland and Java, and a quantity went to Aden. Other quantities sent away represented a trade of about £20.000.

j Although the Chicago revelations had some effect on the Queensland meat trade, the industry rose superior to this passing difficulty. This was largely due to the excellent system on which the meat export trade is based. It has been used as a reproach to Queensland administrators that, while 60 much care j is taken with meat for export, the ! same strict caution is not adopted with j meat for home consumption, go strin- ! gent are the export regulations that ! when tho Board of Trade recently inti- ! mated that meat imported- into Great | Britain must carry a certificate in a certain form, tho Queensland authori--1 ties wrote back to suggest that the Queensland certificate should be ed, as it provided for much more than . the English authorities asked for. An | answer to this request is now awaited i At every meat works in operation an ; inspector is constantly employed, and practically every beast is passed through his hands. No meat can bo exported unless it is accompanied by an official seal, and to the cases con taining tinned meat a label, stating that the pioat is approved for export. Special precautions are taken to destroy all condemned beasts. A fee of £5 is charged for registering a meat works, a.nd £1 a year for renewal. ' The inspector charges 3d per head for inspecting cattle and 3d for each twelve sheep. These fees are paid into, a trust account for carrying on the work of '.nspectim, Following the Chicago revelations Maim - .. Long, on behalf of the Imperial authorities, made a thorough inspection of the various works in the Sta e, going into the whole question of dealing with Stock, and, although his report was con-

fidential, he was induced before ho left tho State to express an opinion, and this was most complimentary to the method of operating. In regard to this question of moat export, Mr F. W. Manning, a formei manager of tho Q.M.E., who recently returned to Brisbane after an absence in Argentina of five years and a half, expressed the opinion that chilled mea' can only be exported from Australia to the Old Country by the use qf some patent process. The ne'w Linley pro cess, he says, has proved successful there. ” I believe,” he said, ** that it call be suoccssfully used in Australia. The principal feature of the Linley process is that as soon as tho meat is lulled it is hung in chambers and a chemical is forced, through the rooms, the object being to kill the microbe which forms the mould; also, while in transit, Lius chemical air is forced through the chambers on board ship, thereby thoroughly cleansing the holds. The cost is merely nominal. The expense of installation of tho plant in any freezing works would not exceed £loo,' and tho owners of the patent charge a small royalty in addition. The meat from the Argentine is landed in Smithfield as fresh as the day on which it was killed. ... “ But I do not think Australia can possibly compete successfully with the Argentine in the Home markets. The Argentine has the advantage of beirg much nearer to London, enabling chilled moat to be landed there in twentyfour days. The Argentina has also rich lauds on which the alfalfa ( is grown as fodder, and in this rospeetl as aiso in regard to railway development, it is singularly favoured. Cattle of the best quality are reared —chiefly shorthorns, averaging about 8001 b in weight, and with the excellent railway facilities existing they can be trucked to the lactones with tho greatest ease. I found on going over to South America, that Australia had nothing to learn horn the Argentine as far as the treatment of frozen meat was concerned. In L ot, our methods were ahead of theirs. Bat I think Australia might profitable turn its attention towards chilled meat, which, I am of opinion, can he camel successfully to England, but not, I think, without a special process of treatment, such as I have described. At the same time I am of opinion that Australia must try to find markets nearer home, say in the East.”