GAS CHILLING

Taranaki Daily News, 21 July 1933, Page 7

GAS CHILLING

SUCCESS OF EXPERIMENT meat, in excellent order HIGHER PRICES' REALISED i. IMPRESSION UPON TRADE NEW ZEALAND’S SHIPMENT (Special to N.Z. United Press Assn.) London, July 19. . The experimental shipment of chilled beef from New Zealand has been an unqualified success. The Port Fairy cargo was displayed at Smithfield this morning and most of the consignment was sold at lid to 2d a lb. more than frozen beef. - 7 , The beef quarters were well displayed and the quality of the meat was very good. The experiment was described by some Smithfield dealers as an epochmaking event, showing conclusively that the difficulties- of bringing chilled beef from New Zealand have been overcome. The Port. Fairy’s consignment was the first to arrive under the new gas process, in which beef is carried at a perature of 28J degrees in chambers filled with carbon dioxide. The voyage lasted 42 days. Experts characterise the consignment as the best shipment of chille beef that has ever reached this country either from Australia or New Zealand. There was an entire absence of mould. Trade comment is very, favourable. Mr G W. Forbes and Mr. R. Masters visited the Smithfield market this mom- ’ ihg to see the results of the shipment. ’ They were welcomed by the chairman ■ • of the London Markets Committee and the Smithfield superintendent. Mr. David Jones, chairman of the New Zealand Meat Board, and Mr. R .S. Forsyth, British representative of the board, were present. _ , - Mr Forbes, interviewed, said he was extremely gratified at the success of the experiment which was of great moment to New Zealand, and he congratulated Borthwicks Ltd., the Meat Board, the Cambridge low-temperature station and the New Zealand Scientific Department on the splendid results of their enterprise and-experiments. . Mr. Forbes declared: “That’s wonderful. I should like to taste it.” Whereupon Borthwicks promised to send joints to Mr. hotel. : ■ Mr. McCan said the quality, colour and butchering were equal to those of Argentina. There was no reason why A y lia could not be similarly successful with i gas chambers. SUCCESSFUL COMPETITOR PROSPECTS OF SHIPMENTS. THE ELIMINATION OF MOULD. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. “Provided the carcases can be landed in good condition New Zealand chilled beef will compete successfully on the London market with chilled beef from Argentina,” said Mr. E. G. Norman, general manager in New Zealand, for Thos. Borthwick and'Sons (Australasia), Limit- ’ ed, under Whose auspices the experimental shipment was exported. . Mr. Norman said the trial shipment, the second to be made, consisted of 480 hindquarters, all being from Wairarapa •*' and treated at the Waingawa works near -■ Masterton. Borthwicks experimented with a’shipment on the Port Fairy about three months ago, , but that was not such an unqualified success as the present one, although it was not by any means a failure. On the second trip carbonic acid gas had been pumped into the freezing chamber on the vessel with the object of preventing mould, and from the London, report it appeared that the use of this device had given excellent results.

Although the present shipment had been successful it was difficult to hazard an opinion concerning the future for chilled beef from New Zealand. In the "first place it was not certain that adequate beef supplies would be available for export. All the beef in the present shipment was specially selected,' being of prime quality. It was questionable whether it would be possible to secure carcases of such quality as to warrant regular shipment overseas. It might be difficult to secure supplies of high-class beef all the year round, for it was well ' known beef supplies were largely seasonal.

The success of the shipment, however, showed that prospects for export were good, provided supplies of beef could* be obtained. From the national view the experiments could not be overlooked as unimportant; the beef landed in London was as good as any sent out of Argentina and it would sell as readily on the British market. For that season the possibilities of trade in this commodity should,not be treated lightly. SUCCESSFUL TRADE PREDICTED. CARCASES MUST BE YOUNGER. By Telegraph—Press Association. Masterton, Last Night. The development of a regular and commercially successful trade in the export of New Zealand chilled beef to Great Britain was predicted to-day by Mr. P. J. Borthwick, a director of Messrs Borthwick and Sons, when discussing the restxlts of the firm’s second experimental shipment by the Port Fairy. The results, he said, were extremely gratifying and they opened up definite possibilities for of the Dominion. A cable received by the firm from London stated there was no sign of mould in the shipment and the beef was of good quality, but in order to equal Argentina it would be necessary to have younger cattle. The shipment, said Mr. Borthwick, might almost be termed a commercial success. He had every reason to believe the experimental stage. ip. the export of chilled beef had been pass-1 and the firm felt that it could now go right ahead with the development of the trade. He said it was essential that the cattle should be young—not over two and a-half years and weighing from 650 to 7501 b. HOPEFUL AUGURY FOR AUSTRALIA. EXPERIMENTS AT BRISBANE. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 9 p.m. Sydney, July 20. Mr. J. E. Bryce, who represents Borthwicks here, said the New Zealand shipment of chilled beef was a hopeful augury for the meat industry in Australia. Experiments with the process had been made at Brisbane, Mr. Bryce added, and the meat was kept for 48 days in perfect condition, although none had been shipped. He expressed the opinion that further experience would be necessary to demonstrate its complete trustworthiness. It would be- a wonderful thing if Aus-

tralia could enter the beef exporting business on a large scale. BRITISH TRADE PLEASED. MEAT BOARD MANAGER’S REPORT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Rt. Jon. J. G. Coates, actingPrime Minister, announces that the New Zealand Meat Producers ’Board has received a cable from its London manager, advising that the consignment of chilled beef arrived in excellent condition. The message stated there was no sign of mould and the manager considered the condition of the beef practically equal to South American. It was being distributed through Smithfield and provincial markets. The trade in Britain was very pleased with the quality and condition and agreed it was the most successful shipment ever landed from Australia or New Zealand. The meat was loaded at Wellington on June 7.