The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 1885.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 6774, 5 June 1885, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 1885.

The starting of the New Zealand Frozen Meat and Storage Company's -works at Waitara is an event in the history of Paranaki which certainly should not be allowed to pass without notice ; and we are surprised that the community have allowed operations to commence without some slight demonstration being got up on such an auspicious occasion. Various have been the attempts during recent years — and all more or lobs successful — to produce dry cold air in sufficient quantity and with that steadiness to secure the preservation of fresh meat and other perishable produce. By the production of oold air with regularity, it has been found possible to convey fresh meat from one part of the world to another, aud thus the large markets of Europe can be made available to our stockowners at a very small cost. In such an invention tho Colonies have a very practioal interest; opening as it does unlimited markets for our beef and mutton, thus adding to our wealth and prosperity. Steamer after steamer has left" New Zealand, carrying as cargo our " frozen flooks," whioh have been landed in England in a sound and undamaged condition, and sold at remunerative prices. For a considerable time the frozen meat trade has been carried on in the Middle Island with success, and even Wellington and Napier have shipped away more than one cargo to the Home market. The Taranaki district, however, where the best land in New Zealand is to be found for grazing purposes, has been left to the last ; but now the Frozen Meat and Btorage Company have erected works, the demand for stock of all kinds will be almost unlimited. This should give an impetus to the progress of the district of Taranaki, for the circulation amongst the settlers of large sums of money, mast naturally tend to inoreaae the

area of land in cultivation, and thus be the means of finding employment for a very extensive population. In no district in New Zealand do we suppose an establishment such as has just been started at Waitara would meet with a better chance of success, for npwhere are pastures for meat producing purposes to be found which can surpass those in Taranaki. The establishment is capable, we understand, of dealing with 50 bullocks a day, or 250 a week ; or an equivalent in sheep — according to weight — say about two thousand. Even in the tinning there is a very large profit to be made, but it must not fall short of five thousand tins a week, or a loss occurs. It will therefore be seen that a large manufacture must be kept up to make the establishment a profitable concern. It is estimated that a bullock weighing say 8001 b will make 4001 bof tinned meat; and therefore when the tinning department is in full work over twenty thousand pounds of tinned meat will be turned out in a day. It seems that the direotors of the oompany are also desirous of securing a steady supply of fresh meat for the Auckland market, and they intend going in largely for the chilling process, sending quarters of beef and the principal joints of mutton to Auckland in a semi-frozen condition. There the meat will be classified, a pcTrtion being reserved for local consumption, and the remainder thoroughly frozen for exportation. That this district can supply a firstclass article there is no gainsaying; and as quality always commands a good price, our settlers are likely to do better with their stock than other places. As we have before said, this district is preeminently suited for' the raising and fattening of stock, and as the market for cattle and sheep is now practically an unlimited one, it will be the producers' own fault if they do not benefit by the advantages offered them.