THE MATAURA’S MEAT CARGO.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3352, 31 December 1883, Page 2

THE MATAURA’S MEAT CARGO.

[By Telegraph.] Auckland, Dec. 29. Mr Joseph Banks sends the“ Herald ” the following!:— “ Auckland, Dec. 24,1883. “ I have read in your paper since my return that the failure of the shipment by tho Mataura was owing to the kidneys not being taken out of the sheep. As many of your readers do not know that I was in England when that vessel arrived, I will give them my experience of what I saw. I was in London quite a month previous to the Mataura’s arrival, so that I had an opportunity of talking to meat salesmen and others interested in the trade. When I told them I had left the kidneys in a great number of sheep, they said‘You have made a mistake,’ so of course when the news spread that the cargo was nearly all bad, it was reported at once that the cause was owing to the kidneys being left in. I was quite sure from the first this had nothing to do with it, and so that there should be no misunderstanding on the question, I asked Mr T. Russell to kindly accompany me to tho Smithfield market, and see for himself, which we did. I selected one of Fencourt’s sheep, with the kidneys in, and had it sent to his house, and from what he saw at the market, and the soundness of the sheep I sent him, he was quite convinced the kidneys had nothing to do with the failure. For further satisfaction! selected one of Messrs Grice and Parker’s and had it sent to the house of a gentleman with whom I was staying. I asked him if he would kindly have a saddle cooked. After hanging a few days this was done, and I can assure you that finer-flavored mutton I never tasted and the kidneys were just as sound as if the sheep had been fresh issued. The market value of these sheep was 54d per lb, l|d less on account of mildew and discoloration caused by the tainted moisture of the infected portion of the cargoe. At the time I was loading tho Mataura tho idea came into my head that hind-quarters of mutton in the English market would be worth l£d per lb more than the whole sheep. If correct, I saw at once it would pay much better to only send some better parts and preserve the fore-quarters hero. As a trial, I ordered 200 boxes to be made, large enough to hold 1001 b of hind-quarters each. This plan of packing cost a little more, but the saving in freight balances this cost. I read in your paper that the idea was absurd, that it was impossible for meat to keep so well if packed in boxes. As an argument in favor of the idea, so far as keeping the meat sound is concerned, there was not a box of meat bad and some of the best brought as high as 7d per lb, but tho demand is very limited as compared with that for whole carcases, so that this can never be done on a large scale. At the same time with each shipment it will always pay to send 10 per cent of hindquarters of mutton, providing the forequarters can be disposed of here. The morning the Mataura arrived there was not a frozen sheep in the market, and if her cargo had come to hand in sound condition I believe the return would have been the highest yet made. I had arranged for consignments to be forwarded both to Liverpool and Manchester. The lowest wholesale price for English mutton during my stay of three months at Home was 9 : [d to 10d, cash on delivery, and without prejudice I am sure that it is not better than our Now Zealand mutton, and this is not only my opinion but of men of great experience, and I think tho test of this may bo taken from tho fact that it is sold as English. It is only a question of time and good management when the difference will not ho nearly so great as now. As a result of a visit to the meat factories of Chicago, Mr Ranks is convinced that Chicago can preserve meat at 50 per cent less cost than in any establishment in New Zealand or Australia. As proof of the superior way in which it is got up, I found in England that Libby, McNeil and Libby’s, and Armour and Co.’s meats could not bo ro-purchased for less than per lb,and if the market was bare tho price was up to 7d at once. Mr Libby assured me that they could not keep pace with their orders now that cattle were getting so scarce. Their plant was equal to put through 1000 bullocks a day, but during the last few months they had not averaged nine hundred. Now, tor tho sake of comparison, wo will turn to New Zealand or Australian preserved and salt meats, and what do wo find? English merchants informed me that although tho moat was known to bo sound and of better flavor than the American, it was not saleable except at a groat reduction, seldom making over 5d per lb, and allowing for tho inferior way in which it is manufactured, I need scarcely say that when I saw what could be accomplished with their machinery I at once ordered a complete set, and I feel sure we shall be able to manufacture as good an article as any in America.”