FROZEN MEAT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 17030, 3 December 1915, Page 11

FROZEN MEAT.

STEAMERS SAIL WITH SHORT .CARGOES. MR MASSEY’S WARNING TO * farmers. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, December 2. A matter of very great importance to the fanners of New Zealand was mentioned to-night by th<* Prime nister. Recently some refrigerating steamers have left the Dominion with their insulated space only partly filled with frozen meat. Several factories have been inducing farmers to hold back stock from factories, but their action means that refrigerating space is wasting and the Prime Minister fears that if meat comes forward with a rush later there may be a recurrence of last season’s troubles, when shortage of space was reported. Mr Massey mentioned that the star of Scotland would leave to-morrow 3500 carcases short of her full complement after waiting ten days in order to fill her space. The Karamea had left on November 28 with a shortage of 1500 carcases. The Kaikoura liad sailed ten davs previously with her lower insulated hold filled with general cargo, and the Oran was now loading general cargo in insulated space. Butter was coining forward very well, but it did not occupy much space on the steamers and the position deserved the, attention of fanners. The abnormal season and plentiful grass with high prices for stone stock and late shearing all were contributing to induce fanners to delay sending fat stock to the freezer, but in their oWM interests they should do all possible to keep the freezing works going and get produce away as soon as possible, so as to avoid congestion later, with which neither freezers nor shipping would bo able to cope-