The Manawatu Daily Times Transport of Meat

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7279, 5 October 1933, Page 6

The Manawatu Daily Times Transport of Meat

The success which has attended the transport of chilled beef from New Zealand and Australia to London has evidently quickened research into cold storage transport. It appears likely that the use of carbonic acid gas in the “chilled” holds will make it possible to carry them at a much higher temperature than that which must obtain when frozen meat is being transported. This has a double benefit. It will reduce refrigeration costs, and it will enable meat to be landed in Great Britain as near the “freshly-killed” state as is possible. No doubt the effect of this upon the food value of the meat will be studied by scientists, but the New Zealand stockowner will be mostly concerned in the effect it will have upon his sales of cattle for export as chilled meat. At present the experiments have not gone far enough to prove that transport of chilled beef to England will be profitable. Its possibility is now established beyond doubt. But to find carcases suitable for that experiment meant some weeks of careful inspection and buying. If the beef trade is to revive in New Zealand it seems evident that a different type of beef cattle must become general throughout the beef-raising districts. Some authorities consider that at least it is unlikely that it will pay New Zealand to export forequarters of chilled beef. They consider hindquarters should be sent as chilled meat and the forequarters frozen for sale to consumers that are not prepared to pay a high price. The gratifying feature of the latest experiment is that it indicates that Argentina’s natural advantage of being nearer the London market than New Zealand will be of less importance to her than hitherto. But if the Dominion desires to obtain some of the trade now held by South America she will have to follow the lead of her rivals in developing the class of carcase required by the market. The scientist and mechanician have done their parts to make possible a chilled-beef industry. The stock owner must do his if he would see that industry successful.

Distillation of Coal

If the proposal to instal a coal-distillation plant on the West Coast of the South Island is a practical proposition it should have the warm support of the Ministry. It is quite true that the extraction of oil from coal might interfere with revenue derived from imported benzine unless an excise duty were imposed, but there are many financial considerations of another nature that deserve consideration. The member for Buller, Mr. H. E. Holland, states that a company with the necessary financial backing is prepared to instal a plant in Westland provided no excise duty is placed upon the oil produced for a term of five years. Coal distillation plants are known to be expensive. In Great Britain the Government has gone further than leaving coal-oil free of excise. It has promised a subsidy, and to take a large quantity of such oil for navy purposes. Against the loss of Customs revenue, if such a plant were successful in New Zealand, can be placed the benefit to the unemployed relief funds, and the increased spending pow'er that a revival of coalmining would bring to Westland. The process of distillation permits the utilisation of large quantities of “slack” coal, the disposal of which constitutes a considerable difficulty for West Coast mines. The Government is justified in proceeding with due caution. Distillation plants are more or less in the experimental stage even in Europe, and the question of the company’s resources will require examination before any commitment is made which may be used merely for flotation purposes. But if there is a real chance of a new secondary industry being established, it is to be hoped the Ministry will take the long view when giving consideration to the concessions asked for.