WELLINGTON PRESERVED MEAT

New Zealand Mail, Issue 426, 10 April 1880, Page 17

WELLINGTON PRESERVED MEAT

Now that the subj-ct of meat exportation from the colonies is attracting general attention, and new systems of preservation are devised, it is well not to overlook the fact that meat preserving is not an unknown industry in this city, but that, on the contrary, it has developed very successfully in the production of an article which favorably compares with the best products of the kiud in any market. We have had handed to us by the Minister of Immigration some interesting correspondence relative to preserved meat from Mr. J. Gear, of this city, and from which correspondence we present extracts, regretting that we have not space at command to publish it in CKtenso.

Under date the 26th January last the Agent-General writes to the Minister of Immigration, enclosing extract from The Times paper of the Bth January, drawing attention to the preserved meat obtained from Mr. Gear, and which had successfully stood the test of being carried twice through the tropics. The Agent-General mentions aLo that the Secretary of the Society of Arts had subsequently called on him, and stated that he proposed to submit to the council of that society the expediency of offering its aid in the way of organising an international exhibition of food, as suggested by the Agent-General in the columns of The Times, as a mean 3 of conveying to consumers and producers fhe knowledge of what the world can do in the way of supplying food. We need scarcely say that in such exhibition Wellington preserved meats would attract much attention.

Appended to the correspondence between the Agent-General and the Minister of Immigration, are certificates from the doctor and captain of the ship Rakaia, and a letter from Mr. J. B. Redward, Immigration Officer, addressed to the Under-Secretary for Immigration, in which he reports :—" All the preserved meats issued to the immigrants during the voyage of the Rakaia, from Plymouth to Wellington, were reported by the surgeon-superinten-dent to have been of excellent quality, and well liked by the immigrants, and I find on making inquiries that the meats were prepared and sent home by J. Gear, of Wellington. I think this ought to be generally known, to ahow the value of one of our local industries."

The appended certificates read thus:—"New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited). Ship Rakaia, September 19, 1879. This certifies that the preserved meat on board this ship was of excellent quality.—W. T. Crawford, M D„ late Surgeon-Superintendent, ship Rakaia." "The above-mentioned preserved meats were from the manufactory of J. Gear, of Wellington. —Robt. T. Metcalf, commanding ship Rakaia."