MARLBOROUGH MEAT & FRUIT EXPORT COMPANY’S WORKS.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 169, 21 January 1888, Page 2

MARLBOROUGH MEAT & FRUIT EXPORT COMPANY’S WORKS.

an LU LOT PA N V L< )OAL INDUSTRY 1.1 these days of general depression, wheu theory of dull times aud scarcity of money tesounds every wnero. any industry tnat am tend to g.Ve ptuiiubie employment to labor an;l utilise our abundant natural products, with a view to providing a remedy for such an unnatural stato of affairs, deserws encouragement and support. We have in this Colony, and in no part of it more abundantly than in this particular district, a plethora of all the material that, humanity inwardly and outwardly requires for its sustenance. With such natural wealth ut our command it is, superlicially speaking, an anomaly that dull times should exist, that employment for labor should oe scarce, and that under suoh circumstances tho appreciation of the “circulating medium” should be su promtuuoed. But the secret is obvious enough. Our power of production is altogether out of proportion to the ability of our limited population to consume. Nature has been so profuse in her gifts to us that for lack of enterprise we are wa.able to turn her bounties into practijka use. Adversity is a good school, ho» ever, and from ono end of the the other there are not wanting signs that the population are .benefiting by the lesson which the depression has taught, and are casting their mental vision abroad with a view to utilising sources of wealth that hitherto have been neglected. These remarks have been suggested by a visit which our reporter paid to tho Marlborough Meat Export Company’s works, situated about a mile and a-half from the town, on the banks of tho Opawa river. Meeting Mr Homes, the live representative of the Company, ho invited our representative to “ come down and have a look around.” AAI rigfkt,’ was the response, “but I can’t go for a day or two. I must be at ” “ Oh, come along now ; there’s no time like tho present.” Recognising the wisdom of that remark, and the uncertainty of things human off wo started, and a fifteen minutes’ drivo brought us to the site of the factory, standing in a 67-acre paddock, which can bo utilised for keeping stock while waiting their tut u to bo given the coup de grace. The first thing that strikes the visitor is the extensive, convenient and commodious nature of the buildings, which enables tho processes of slaughtering, preserving and packing to be carried on successfully with comfort to the men employed. Tho latter expressed themselves as pleased at tho manner in which their comfort had been consulted, aud the manager, Mr C. Heath, declared, after extensive experience, that there was no finer building of the kind in tho Colony. The preserving and packing room moasnros 95 by 19 feet; tallow and boiler room, 45ft x lift; box making room, lift x 18ft. In addition there is accommodation for the manager and a number of the men. The slaughter houso is also a most commodious building. It is situated in a cool and shaded spot, sheltered by the trees in one direction and accessible to the cool breeze from the river. Tho blood is drained into an undergound tank, and from there it is conveyed, along with tho offal, to form manure, which iu the absence of a market for same, will bo distributed on the adjacent grounds. Tho artesian water supply aud drainage system are perfect, and scrupulous cleanliness prevails everywhere. Tho upstairs portion of the building is used for storing timber, shelling petfs, cleaning berries, &c., in season. Before being in trod need to the mysteries of the interior economy of tlip factory, a glance at the natural surroundings strikes the visitors at onco that go more suitable site for such a purpose conld be found anywhere, and that the promoters had a keen eye to tho eternal fitness of things in selecting such a locality. The property adjoins that of Mr C. lied wood, commands an extensive frontage to the Opawa river, and from its accesuibilty and valuable quality must in the natural course of events become of great value. That the Company are by no means carrying on operations on a limited scale is apparent by the fact that iu an adjoiuiug shed there were lying GO tons coal recently delivered to its order. There is a wharf and tramway leading thereto, which has been facetiously christened by the men The New York Cjentcal Railway.” All the goods rqaqqjae l ured fit, aqd required by the fqctopy, q.re shipped direct from apd to th e whatf, so that there is no expense ip unnecessary handling or cartage, an economical arrangement that tho clients of the Company must necessarily participate in. The Company do not confine their operations to meat preserving. They are prepared to preserve and pack all kinds of fruit, peas, rabbits, fish, poultry, butter aud vegetables. The possibilities of wealth accruing to the district from these sources are very great. The country jfi stocked with' sheep,' for* which a market capnot’be found, whilst fruits .arc pofting off the frees. Why not hn-P these tq profitable account by sending them t,a the factory, where they will he so manipulated as to ensure their being placed in the European or colonial markets, and a payable return assured ? Farmers would find, this outlet for fruit a great boon, and that they are not slow to take advantage of the system is evident from the large stock of fruit, vegetables and butter ‘that is being delivered, The capabilities of the factory are practically unlimited. The plaut, which, is entirely now and on the most modern principle, was imported from America, and is pronounced by the manager to bo the best that lie has ever handled. When it is explained that Mr Heath, who has l,a<+ great experience |r. the matter, 1 was fbriheHy engaged in America aud throughout the colony, hid remarks on tho subject will have due weight. The Company give employment V to a large number of hands, varying, c iiipscy at different seasons .of the year, and they all’earn good ’v/a'ges, ' It is| however, remarkable that such a power of work can be turned out by so few hands, and it is explainable only by tho fact that tho machinery is of the most perfect description. At the door of the preserving-rcon; wo aro’inet br the manager, who courteously explains the different machinery ifi' ‘usd and the various processes of manipulating tin meat. The motive power and steam required is supplied by a 12 horse-power boiler and 31 horse-power engine—-a very fine machine, manufactured by the latter being used for the can-mak-ing machinery. The interesting process of making' the cans is first practically expldined.’ The tin is imported-*in plates; agd after being passed through 'th'ceo different machines, tho work of G. A. Crossley and Co., of Chicago, a very handsome article is turned out in a marvellously dexterous manner. Six thousand “lb tins can bo turned out iu eight hours time by these machines. A rnqst, important advantage of the system upon whi'iti they are made is, the fact vitae all the cans diL soldered-or the outsidiW By this system it is impossible for the contents of the tin to ho injured by careless sok]ersitg, and goods tbits packed command tbo highest price in' the London Jijark'et. ' By an ingqrljbifs arriinberhent the solder is kept it; a liejuid state, and tho work Is done with great dexterity anti neatness. After the tins are filled and closed they are neatly lacquered and labelled and their appearance would do credit to .a Cheapside grocery establishment. The process of slaughtering, cut-

ting up, and preserving were next fully explained. The factory was operating upon a very fine draught of 2000 merino wethers from Mr Beaumont’s Starborough run. The meat having been cut off the carcases, it is scalded in larg wooden vats, capablo of holding 300 pounds each, to remove impurities, the water is instantly boiled by tho application of steam convoyed from the boilers. The meat is then cooled, placed upon the table, cut up, and • weighed into parcels of ‘2lb 2nz, so that, there is net 21b in uadi tin when tho moat is cooked. It is next placed in stndtopped cases, the advantage of which over tho open top being that the flavor and virtue of the meat is retained instead of being wasted in the desert air. The tins are then capped and placed in steel retorts, and subjected to a great pressure of steam, the process thoroughly cooking the meat. After remaining a certain time there, the tins are removed and imm -rood in a cold bath ; they are next vented and replaced in the retort for the final process of oooking. The advantage of the steam retort system of cooking is that there is equal pressure on top and bottom of the tins. The sudden application of cold water to the tins on removal from j tho retort has tho effect of infallibly proving the soundness of tho meut. The result is that buyers can absolutely depend upon the quality "of the meat they purchase. Tho tins are packed in boxes made on the premises, which are fitted up with a circular saw worked by the engine. The boiling-down department contains two large boilers, in addition to the boiler to supply steam for the machinery. These are of most modern design and approved construction. The tallow is forced by a high pressure of steam into a tank which stands above the boiler. This is a great improvement upon the old system of taking the tallow from the bottom of the digester. From the tank the tallow flows successively into a dryer, bleacher and cooller, and finally into casks capable of holding 7-lcwt. Tho engines and boiler are under the management of Mr Bird, and all engineering, fitting, and carpentering work is done of the premises. Wo have endeavored to give an idea of this important industry and its capabilities for good to tho district. The enterprise hacked by capital necessary to establish such an industry is not so common as to escape notice, and will be sure to excite tlie sympathy and co-operation of the community in the direction of making it a success. No doubt self-inte-rest will alone secure that result, hut it sometimes takes a deal of persuasion to arouse people to a sense of what really is essential to the ; v welfare. Although comparatively but a recently established factory, the success attained so far is sufficient to justify the conclusions that it will prove a material benefit to the district, to which we reply, “ So mote it be.” Apropos of tho success of the meat industry, the profitable balance sheet issued by the Gear Meat Preserving Co., Wellington, may ho refeired to, which declared a dividend of 10 per cent., and carried a large amount to reserve fund. 1 Wo trust that the year’s operations will show that the Murlborough Company has been equally, if not more, successful.