THE MATAURA'S CARGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6824, 1 October 1883, Page 5

THE MATAURA'S CARGO.

[reuteb's cablegram.] London, September 28. The frozen meat ex Mataura has been sold for soap-boilers' purposes at a halfpenny per , lb. None of it was marketable for ordinary ' consumption. * : [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORBBSPONDKNT.] Christchurch, Saturday. It is cnrrently reported here that the loss . of the Mataura'a cargo was due to the fact i that the kidneys were not taken out of the sheep.* A correspondent in the Times says : —" It was stated soon after the Mataura had sailed from Auckland lhat the kidneys '. were not removed from the carcases of the sheep, aud also that carcases wereenclosed : in wooden boxes. If this was true, and I believe there was foundation for the statement, it is the only cargo that has been shipped in aueh a manner from New Zealand, and shows gross carelessness on the part of the shippers. Common sense tells me that the water in the kidneys will not freeze, and that wooden boxes, or coffins, .as they < now appear to be, must impede/the air circulating. It seems a pity that such mistakes should damage "the fair: name of. New Zealand meat after the great tions of tho shipping companies in producing so p omptly the necessary meana for pushing the trade to its utmost, and surely the Auckland shippers could have .gleaued all information as to the mode, of pfeparing t iand shipping after the'repeated successes in tho South Island." Mr.. Arthur Appleby also writes:—"ln this morning's issue you publish the following telegram . from the Aucltland correspondent of ■ the Press Association : ' The greater portion of the Mataura's cargo was insured with the New Zealand Insurance Company. The company will, therefore, be the principal loser by the failure'of the refrigerator.' A moment's reflection will convince any reader that the latter part of the telegranvis an addition unwarranted by experience And 11 fuel sure by facts. In case of failure of the machinery would not the whelc cargo have suffered? Does not the failure point to a want of care and experience in the freezing ? Mr. Coxon, Haslambs Refrigerating Company's representative, ie at present absent from Chrietchurch, or he would doubtless have taken immediate notice of the paragraph." The Times remarks that "the Sorrento and Mataura between them have lost 10,000 Circjsss, which out of 150,000 shipped up to date forms the very respeotable proportion of nearly 7 per cent. They mention the statement about the kidneys, and urge that, for the sake of New Zealand, a full inquiry into the reason of the failure should be instituted. When the news of some of thu British King's mutton going bad reached here, it was said the company was to blame for not letting the sheep cool properly before freezing them, but the record of the voyage allowed that the refrigerators aboard were not worked so long, or kept at so low a temperature as in other steamurs, which was held to account for at least part of the failure. The Mataura'a case," says the Times, " being very much more serious, is sure to cause a more searching and exhaustive inquiry. vVhen that has been held, there will be a flood of light upon a dark corner of a most important question. The Auckland shippers should prese on the inquiry, leaving no stone uuturned, and taking nothing for granted on any maa'e word unaided by the testimony of the records. One reflection is ccmsoliog— failure like this cannot affect the meat carried in tho uncooked state, for the simple reason that every carcase ie offered on its own merits, independent of any connection with processes, and the meat offered stands inspection. One of our correspondents of this morning alludes to the alleged defects in the procees of preparing and packing the Mataura shipment, and another implies that because the loss was not a total loss therefore tho fault must be in the operations btfore shipping. The company responsible will no doubt discharge its duty to its constituents by helping to got at the truth in the matter. A curious problem of insuianca is here contained.. If the insurance companies have to pay for partial or total lojs, not due to defective working of the ship's machinery, or accident while on board, there is encouragement to the preparers for shipment to be reckless." J. Rolfe, the Australian bicycle champion, has offered to ride a 72-houra' match against the united efforts of three walkers during the same period. Catakbh of the Bladdee.—Stinging irritation, inflammation, all kidney and similar complaints, cured by " Buchu-piiiba."—Moses, Moss and Co., Sydney, General Agents. * The ODly safe and sure cure for gravel or urinary troubles, is bop bitters, fxoveit. Read.