NEW ZEALAND FROZEN MEAT

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 17

NEW ZEALAND FROZEN MEAT

FACILITIES AT THE LONDON DOCKS.

SOME FIGURES CONCERNING BRISTOL. IFkou Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, July 12.

Early next year dominion producer* will be able to learn personally from Mr J. Hi Estill, commercial superintendent of the Port of London Authority, exactly what conditions exist at the London docks for the handling of New Zealand produce. In the meantime I am able to give some interesting facts about the future extensions, as well as important figures bearing on the cost of bringing meat to the Smithfield market through the ports of London and Bristol. In regard to the accommodation for housing refrigerated produce in the Port of London there is at present accommodation in the port for considerably over 3,000,000 carcases, and when the Authority’s new accommodation is erected the total capacity will be equal to 3,500,000 carcases. At present the Port Authority has cold storage accommodation for 820,000 carcases, while additional accommodation costing about £400,000 lias been introduced on the following works ; 1. Two insulated sorting/ sheds mi the quay at the Royal Albert dock, each 500 ft in length. These will be kept at the same temperature as the insulated warehouse —viz., 15 degrees Fahrenheit, so that they can be used as auxiliary stores if found desirable. They will have a storage capacity of 200,000 carcases. 2. An insulated warehouse at the rear of and connected with the sorting sheds, having a storage capacity of 250.000 carcases. Machinery will be fitted which will enable this meat to be conveyed from the ship’s hold to the sorting sheds or to the warehouse or to conveyances with the minimum of handling. 3. An additional insulated warehouse at the Smithfield market, having a storage capacity of 80,000 carcases The construction bf a new dock south of and parallel to the existing Royal Albert dock, where the bulk of the , colonial produce is at present handled, was be<nm just a year ago, at the cost of upwards of £2,000,000. Large extensions to the Tilbury docks are also being made, and considerable alterations and improvements to the other docks are in progress. So far as the Port of London Authority is concerned a very large proportion of the meat is at present worked by elevators from the hold of the ship to endless belt conveyers, which carry the meat, under cover, for delivery to —(a) the Authority’s cold storage chambers on the dock quays; (b) insulated vans for conveyance to the Authority’s cold storage chambers at West Smithfield market; (c) insulated motor or horse vehicles which convey the meat from the ship direct to Smithfield market; (d) insulated railway wagons alongside the steamer for direct delivery to the provinces. Many comments have been made in regard to barging meat in London, but it may be pointed out that if it is consigned to the care of the Port of London Authority no barging need be done, as the meat handled by the Authority is passed direct over the quay. RAILWAY CHARGES FROM BRISTOL. Some of the New Zealand papers received in London lately give misleading comparisons in regard to the charges for bringing meat into the Smithfield market through the ports of London and Bristol. For instance, it is not stated that meat can be conveyed from the ship to the Smithfield market at a maximum cost of 14s 7d per ton, including port rates, wharfage, and loading, cartage, market tolls and pitching as against a minimum rate of 26s 9d per ton at owner’s risU > and 27s 9d per ton at company’s risk via Bristol. Even then, if railed from Bris* to!, the goods have to he sent in threeton lots. The railway rate alone f.yr smaller lots from Bristol to London U 33s 4d per ton, which includes cartage in London only. Further, anyone acquainted with the working of goods traffic over railways will appreciate that even meat cannot be conveyed a distance of about 200 miles without considcrabe delav. One must also take into consideration the question of reinsurance on the mea* if landed at Bristol for sale at the Smith field market. If meat is stored in Londoi for 28 days and afterwards sold at th« Smithfield* market the cost will he from 25s 7d to 30s Id per ton. This includes the port rates, wharfage, loading, cartage, market tolls, and pitching—as against a rate for similar services, if sent via Bristol, of 37s 9d. Even the figure of 37s 9d makes no allowance for reinsurance. A very much higher rate would obtain if provision were made for ,reinsurance and extra railage for lots under three tone. The rail rates from Bristol

to London are: —At owner's risk, 20s per ton in three-ton lots; at company’s risk, 21s per ton in three-ton lots; at company’s risk, 33s 4d per ton under threeton lots. The capacity of the cold storage accommodation at Bristol is 134.000 carcases, and the present cold storage accommodation in London is over 3,000,000, and will shortly be 3,500,000 carcases. It must also be borne in mind that London, with its population of nearly eight million people within a 10-mile radius, constitutes a market where any quantity of meat can be consumed, while it must be obvious that Bristol, with its population of under half a million, can only consume a very limited supply. Again, by reason of the nine trunk lines which radiate from London and are all connected with the docks, the distributing facilities at this port are obviously greatly superior to those at any other port.