FROZEN MUTTON TRADE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9232, 18 November 1891, Page 2

FROZEN MUTTON TRADE.

ENGLISH TESTIMONIALS. Loud Oijslow, who takes great interest in the agriculture of this colony, has been making experiments to ascertain whether the difference in price of English and New Zealand frozen mutton was due to any divergence of quality or to prejudice, and, if so, whether the latter had any just cause for its existence. His Excellency had six sheep selected by Mr John Grigg at Belfast, and they were transmitted in the usual way to Messrs Fitter. His Excellency selected from the different classes of London society six gentlemen of his acquaintance who are known to have firstrate cooks, and to have no personal inteiest in English sheep breeding. Messrs Fitter were desired to deliver a sheep thawed and ready for consumption at the London house of each of these six gentlemen. In writing to advise them of the shipment, His Excellency said he wished to ascertain whether the freezing process in any way caused deterioration in a joint of mutton, which he himself bad found when eaten in the colony, to bo equal to that which careful breeding and considerable expense had enabled him to produce from his own flock of pedigree Southdowns. To make certain that the opinions given were without favour or prejudices, His Excellency caused a seventh sheep to be sent round the world and brought back to him in Christchurch, and he has no reason to doubt the perfect good faith of his correspondents. The following are the opinions which His Excellency haa received: — Baron Do Worms, M.P., Undor-Secretary for Colonies — "Wo found it quite excellent. The freezing did not hurt it in the least, in fact the greatest epicure would fail to discern that it was not home grown." Lord Rosebery — " The mutton was excellent, and not to be distinguished from English mutton." General Sir H. De Bathe, of the Beefsteak Clvb — "Last Friday we had a large assemblage at B.S.C. to eat your mutton. The concensus of opinion was that it was moßt excellent. Dick Grain, Frank Burnand, Bancroft, G. A. Sala, Alf Watson, and some dozen others all so agreed. I, who am a dweller on the Southdown, can safely aver that your individual sheep was better than I can buy in Chichester, where it alwayß wants age and colour. It was as tender as chicken. Could the Club make arrangements for a regular supply of mutton, and, if bo, should we have to pay more than our London butcher's prices ?" Mons. Waddington, French Ambassador in London—" The New Zealand mutton was a great buccobb; I bad recommended it to my cook, and it was carefully roasted; all present pronounced it quite equal to the best English mutton. The freezing of the moat had produced no appreciablo difference." Sir Morell Mackenzie : " Last week we had a little dinner of connoisseurs on purposo to sit in judgment on tho mutton. I can only say that my friends and I were unanimous in giving a most favourable opinion. It had a great deal of flavour, and was very tender. In fact, I only recollect tasting mutton as good on one or two occasions. I suppose, however, that tho specimen you were good enough to send mo was much better than the ordinary consignments from New Zealand." Sheriff Sir Augustus Harris, Drury Lano Theatre — " We duly received the sheep. Had it cooked and eaten. It waa really delicious. Never havo 1 tasted anything more tender or better flavoured. All I can aay is the trial was perfectly successful, if, as I suppose, it is an experiment of some new process. Mr Grigg has sinco assured His Excel lency that two-thirds of the cheep sent from Belfast are of similar quality to that cent.

Wolfe's Schnappß is the most popula liquor in Australia, henc* tha imitation*.