SOUTHLAND FROZEN MEAT COMPANY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5461, 13 January 1896, Page 2

SOUTHLAND FROZEN MEAT COMPANY.

At a meeting of the shareholders oi' the Southland Frozen Meat Company on Saturday, the action of the directors in handing over the control of the business, woks, finance, &c., of the company to persons who had become guarantors of the company's indebtedness to the Bank of New Zealand was approved, and all powers vested in the directors it was agreed might be transferred to the persons or corporation advancing money or becoming security for the liabilities of the company, this to bo retrospective. It was resolved that .£2 per share should be written off, it being considered necessary-to do this before asking th^j public to take up new -shares,, which are to be preferential and the holders to have a fir3t claim on the assets of the company in the event of winding up.

A NEW PRESERVING PROCESS. . The Wellington Post of Thursday says :— " Among the passengers by the Perthshire for London yesterday was Mr Kufeke, who came out to Australia about nine -months ago to inspect a new process for the preservation of animal foods, &c, the invention of Mr Thomas Affleck, of Sydney. So well satisfied is Mr Kufeke with the process that he intends on "behalf of Mr Affleck, to launch the patent rights upon the English market. It is claimed for the process : — (1) That the expense of treatment or preservation is reduced to a minimum ; (2) that the expense of shipping is greatly reduced, inasmuch as refrigerating engines, &c, are rendered unnecessary ; (3) that foods treated' by the process and kept in a temperature of 60deg Fahr. in the dark will Temain * perfectly fresh and eatable for at least six months. Fresh meat, &c, so .the patentee states, is preserved by a process akin to curing a ham, and there is no more chemical action entailed by one process than the other. Hams and bacon are ordinarily prepared and cured so as to retain a certain flavour, and a new taste is.imparted to the moat so treated, whereas by the new process the natural flavours, jxiices and nourishing powers of the meat are preserved intact. . The patentee claims that the new process is superior to freezing and chilling, inasmuch as meats treated by either of these methods lose the greater proportion of the blood, which is the chief nourishing item in the animal, whilst being thawed. Mr Kufeke is taking with him to London a few sides of mutton impregnated with ,the now prepai'ation. They were hanging on the Perthshire's main deck, and, though cut and dressed some months ago, had still, when exhibited to our • representative yesterday, retained the natural taste and flavoiu*. There is also on board a quantity of isausages manufactured nearly two years ago, and impregnated with the preparation. They are in remarkably good preservation, and are pronounced by those on board as being of very good eating quality."