THE FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6133, 21 March 1898, Page 4

THE FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY.

{.■ SMITHFIELD WOEKS, TIMAKU. [By Our Special Eeporter.J f A large number of farmers, pastoralists^ and others interested in the frozen meat '•■; trade met on Saturday, at the invitation ;of the Chrißtchurch Meat Company, to ?, take part in the ceremonial opening of the recent extensions of the company's Timarn establishment, now known as the Smithfield Works. Mo3t of the visitors ; from Christchurch were the guests of the company in a sea trip on the fine steamer Tokoinaru, which left Lyttelton on Friday evening, and after a pleasant passage arrived at Timaru on Saturday mot-uing. Visitors from other parts arrived at Timaru by every train on Friday, and 'on Saturday forenoon, and all were con- ■'■ veyed from Timaru to Smithfield — thecompany's siding, now a duly constituted railway station — by special train, and reached . the works shortly before noon. The various stages of the freezing industry were shown and explained to the visitors, a large number of whom had not previously been over a freezing establishment. They .' saw lambs being drafted in the yards, and the slaughter of those which were passed for freezing. The carcases were followed paafc the automatic weigher and grader into the cooling room. Then the freezing chambers were visited, and the new . t'eventy-five-ton Hercules machine was inspected. The programme of the ceremonies included the formal starting of this machine, but as a matter of fact, it had \been running for some days and amply sf ulfllling ;>; the duty expected of c it--■Kto. v frieze a! large" Quantity., Of;- jnieaf on a small consumption ' of. fuel. The ♦ machine is a duplicate of that in use at f. the -'Company's Islington works. The i large Haslam machine is kept as a reserve force, but the original small Haslam , is ont of commission. The cold storage rooms were next explored, and finally, so far as : the meat was concerned, the visitors saw part of the company's shipment of 35,000 ..carcases of mutton and lamb for the steamer Tokoinaru being loaded into the waggons in the dosed-in sidings. The fellmongery, tallow-house and' manure : works. were then visited, every department being inspected with keen interest. ■ The additions to the works comprise an engine-room, for the Hercules machine; extensive freezing chambers, doubling the refrigerating capacity of the works; cold storage, increasing the holding power of the establishment to between 60,000 and 70,000 carcases ; large manure store, in which the largest drier made is about to toe fitted; an entirely new fellmongery, on the most approved principle ; an extension of the slaughter-house to double its size, so that it now has stands for forty butchers; and many other additions, making the works capable of dealing .efficiently, day by day, all the year round, -with four thousand sheep or lambs and their various products. Before these additioni, the works were famed as being the best designed and most complete in the colonies ; they are now still more deserving of this praise. The luncheon was served in a large doable marquee. Mr Gilbert Anderson, Chairman of Directors, presided, and the vice-chairs were occupied by Messrs E. ■Elworthy and G-. H. Rhodes. The company was completely representative of the district and also included' a large number,:, of visitors fromviiorth'jandvSQjit^y^alliClp^ely .^ifttefested in the frozen'; ineat it&de'. ..-V IJp*'ii^dsV I biE-'-'biie;^"H^iire?^an^kfifty:.:.sat 'flown. to : :,]the^:tabl^t'~^6"^m::.mmri prised frozen 'mutton, Jamb '. and pork it a great variety pf- joints arid i&BheB; and though in conversation jhe guests expressed unqualified admiration of the quality and flavour of the meat, it was noticed that no aliusion to this unique feature of the luncheon was made by any of the speakers at the subsequent proceedings. This was taken, . no doubt rightly, as mute testimony to the fact that the meat could not be distinguished from freshly-killed, and therefore did not give.occasion for remark. After the loyal toasts had been honoured, Mr E. Elworthy. proposed "The Christchurch Meat Company." He said that the present event, and the great extension of the works which had been shown to the visitors that day, proved the interest which the company was taking in South Canterbury producers. The various processes were carried out in the most perfect manner, and those who had the direction of the old company had been shown their foolishness in neglecting the utilisation of the waste products, from which the present company derived their profit. The Christchurch Meat Company deserved success. In tha old days the local company was 'proud of patting through 300 a day; now 4000 sheep a day were put through. Some twelve months ago there was an agitation in the district for the establishment of new works, but it was suggested that the Christchurch Company should be approached, and the result was seen in the .splendid works which had been shown to visitors that day. He wished the company every success. (Applause.) Each guest was here presented with an illustrated pamphlet containing views of the Islington and Smithfield works, deacrip/turns jof. the Christchurch Meat Company's business arid of the various proCesseg'in deahnjj with, meat and by-products ,and other 'information regarding the company. The .pamphles was artistically illustrated" iiSff^rinted'b'y -the LytteUoh -Times' Com-'. pany. The Chairman (Mr Gilbert Anderson), in responding, said that it gave him great pleasure to meet the large number of shareholders and others interested in meat freezing— the .industry of Canterbury. Canterbury sent away more than half of the meat exported from New Zealand. The number of carcases of mutton and lamb exported last year was 2,711,307, of which Canterbury supplied 1,494,484. Canterbury also sent away more than half the value, and also far more than the exports of any of the Australasian colonies. To the value of the industry to

Canterbury should also bo added the amount derived from wool, tallow and other products, making up a total of £1,500,000 sterling per annum. The industry had raised the value of land, had .•nnsed increased cultivation, and intensified cultivation, increased employment of labour, increased railway revenue — the Christchuich Meat Company having paid last year no less than .£22,000 to the railways. In wages the company paid last year .£53,000 (Applause). At Islington and Tiniaru they had put through 927,329 sheep and lambs; they had turned out 8919 bales of wool, 7348 casks of tallow, besides pelts, preserved meats and manures. Large as these figures were, they might have been larger. Tre company was gratified by the support of the South Canterbury farmers. The company was asked four or five years ago to take over ihe Timaru works and apply Islington methods to them. The Company would not then buy at the stated price of .£20,000, but offered to lease the place as a trial. The support was satisfactory, and they bought at .£25,000. They put through more than double the quantity that had been previously dealt with, but last year were caught napping, nearly 250,000 sheep and lambs being brought to them for treatment. The works were seen to be too small, and there was, as he had said, some agitation. It was suggested to the company that the works should be enlarged, and this had been done, the capacity being now increased to 4003 per day. The company hoped and desired that every grower would now own a brick in the works. The company had applied the skill obtained by their experience at Islington, and they must have, the support of the farmers; Low as freezirigVcharges vfere, if ; the. Mariners; would, put through four thousand a day, the 1 would ' undertake . to freeze for nothing. (Applause.) The company would, do business to suit everybody. They would freeze for farmers and for dealers, as they would buy from farmers to fill orders received from Home. They had made nothing dut of the meat they bought ; their profit was in the utilisation of the waste products. The district ought to send, instead of a quarter of a million, three-quarters of a million sheep and lambs every year. The company knew the quality was good, and they gave the meat treated at the local works the same ticket as Islington. There was no fear of flooding the London market. They intended to consolidate the trade, and the first step in this direction had been taken by the Directors of the old South Canterbury Company, when they had invited the present to take over the works, and obviate one lot of meat being sold in competition with " another. The farmers must take an interest in the business. There must be organisation all through. The company Jwas determined to have either its own stores in Lpndon or the use of the best stores there?rThey were also determined to ccpe /Rllfe " the insurance question ; they were*6hreatened with a rise of the premium td''7oß per cent, while a proper rate would not be more than 30s to 40a per cent. There was a screw loose in this part of the business. They considered they should have a stall where nothing but Canterbury meat should be sold, and a Board of Advice should be established to take charge of matters in London. They did not propose any violent changes ; they would avail themselves of the best existing channels, but they jwished to effect such an organisation as.wbuld obviate unnecessary fluctuations'; aij&ihj^; a^an^iqents-i; could^^y^be carrifed ; oitfv 't>y f. tpeC f arnieirs :-fbJk^ng^an wielrest 'fk the •<3pmp^ny.; 1 : ( Applause.)'' ."■ ■-'•■? ,;* ;MfliVL'qGMii proposed "The AgriculfctiraT ;arid Pastoral Interests," and congratulated iklie farmers oil having so.-enferpiisffig a company in tlleir midst, which, u it i»ad done nothing else, deserved their support through having brought down the price of fertilisers. Mr D. M'Laren, after some happy allusions to other guests, said that the company had met the sheep-farmers in the district very fairly, and there could not now be any cry of monopoly. Mr E. H. Khodesv(Bluecliffs) also briefly responded. > ■•' " Mr J. Gould, after some remarks of a political character, endorsed v all that had been said of the company's enterprise ; no company could do more. There had been some complaint of the company railing meat to Lyttelton, but now the steamers called at Timaru fairly regularly. The farmers were the men, and they must get them into the company. He went on to speak of the harbour difficulties. . Mr E, Acton, chairman of the late Soutsii Canterbury Refrigerating Company, asked? permission to make a few remarks. He said) that he had been opposed to the transfer of the works to the Cbristchurch Msat Company, but the latter company had dohe infinitely more and better than the old company could have done. (Applause.) He wished the Christehurch Meat Company every success. (Applause). Mr A. H. TurnbulL proposed "The Timaru Harbour Board and other Local Bodies," referring to the great expansion of the trade of the port, from 268 vessels, averaging 150 tons, in 1879 to S3O vessels, averaging 300 tons, in 1887, and 269 vessels, averaging 700 tons, in 1897, the exports increasing from 109,000 tons in 1879 to 518,000 tons in 1897, and the imports from 68,000 tons to 83,000 tons in the same period.. The^re had been;. some complaint of the Islington Company railing meab to LytjbeltQn^but last year they had shipped. .209,678; carcases at Timaru, and had railed only 30,07i8 to Lyttelton. (Applause.) He {spoke of the\ difficulties \which the company had to surmount before the large steamers could be induced to go to Timaru. Mr J. Fraser, chairman of the Timaru Harbour Board, and Mr C. N. Orbell, chairman of the Levels County Council, responded. Mr F. E. Flatman, M.H.E., proposed " The Visitors," to which the Hon J. T. Peacock, M.L.C., and Mr Duncan Cameron (Springfield, Methven) responded. Mr M..C. Orbell proposed "The Press," which was responded to by Mr E. G. Kerr and Mr J. M. Twomey. Mr T. Teschemaker, in a few very happy words, proposed "The Chairman," which was received with great enthusiasm, and Mr Anderson, replying, expressed the great pleasure he and his fellow-directors had in meeting their South Canterbury friends. On leaving the marquee, a photograph of the assemblage was taken, and " Three cheers for Mr Mitchinson," who had directed the proceedings of the day, were given. A special train then conveyed the guests to town.