NEW ZEALAND FROZEN MUTTON.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 4460, 1 October 1883, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND FROZEN MUTTON.

Mb. John Reid, of Elderslie, has written, as follows to the New Zealand Refrigerating Company : — '' I have had a great many interesting chats with the meat salesmen in Smithfield, and I am glad to find that, without exception, they are all greatly pleased with the meat, and many of them expressed their regret that they could not get regular supplies of such shipments as the Fenstanton's. They say it is precisely tie quality they want. One large firm (B. Barker and Co., Central Meat Market, Smithfield) said they could do with a very large quantity, as they contract for the supply or a number of public institutions with meat, but owing to the very intermittent nature of the supplies from New Zealand, they can't make any contracts for supplying it alone, which they would do if plenty could be had. With reference to the shipment ex Fenstanton, it was first-class in every particular. The salesmen could not offer a suggestion which would be likely to cause any improvement in tho condition of the cargo, and the size of the sheep ami proportion of fat and lean meat left nothing to be desired. I sent a number of my sheep as presents to friends in Scotland, and all without exception pronounced it equal to the best they ever tasted. One was given to Dr W. S. Playf air, of London, who • pronounced it first-rate mutton. He told me a few days since that he was to have a dinner party of soino 20 medical men, and intended giving them the frozen mutton. I have not yet heard what their opinion of it was. One sheep was sent to a friend at a Highland place on.th'e.Kyles of Buto, .and although it was several days in transit, it arrived in splendid order, and was partly distributed among the Highland sheep farmers there, where it caused quite „a, .sensation, so my friend writes to n?e. From all that I have been able to learn so far the necessity for opening shops for the special purpose of selling our shipment, is not likely to arise Tor many years. All that is likely to be sent from Australia and New Zealand will be absorbed without difficulty ; and the fact that the retail butchers actually do sell and are able to sell our meat as British-grown will gradually induce them to compete for it more eagerly, and make the price given approximate more closely to the price which they have to pay for home-fed mutton. I think, therefore, that all we have to do in the colonies is to endeavour to get shipping facilities sufficient to take away regularly all our surplus fat stock. Of one thing lam more than evef strongly convinced, and that is that we shojld only send our best mutton. The Fenstanton's may be safely regarded as a model shipment, both as to size of carcase and quality ; and, if possible, every shipment sent in future should be up to that standard. If this is attended to there will be no lack of purchasers on this side." The Fenstanton's frozen meat was sent to a number of the provincial towns in England, as well as sold in London, with most satisfactory results. The average prices realised were — cross-bred wethers, G'-fd per lb ; half sheep, 7Jd per lb ; merinos, GJd per lb ; ewes, 6.jd per lb. The lambs brought over Bd.