2o6 A'FIV SOUTH WALES. 



meat received in 1894 in Eng-land was equal to 8 per cent, of tlie total 

 consumption of beef and mutton in tlie United Kingdom, and last year 

 no less than 4,500,000 frozen carcases were received. Again, although 

 the irregularity of our frozen meat consignments is one of the gravest 

 difficulties with which we have to contend, yet the gluts and low prices 

 caused by this irregularity have been the means of forcing the meat 

 into consumption ; and the masses have become alive to its value. 

 Until this occurred its use was confined to the middle and upper 

 classes. Once the masses get over their prejudices, and get their 

 teeth into good meat, retailed to them at moderate prices, we need not 

 fear for the future. The opening of the Manchester ship canal, giving 

 direct trade with Liverpool and Manchester, should be of great 

 assistance in the expansion of Australian meat consumption, as Man- 

 chester itself is considered the greatest centre of distribution for Aus- 

 tralian mutton in all England. Most of the important railways are 

 connected with the canal, and within a radius of 40 miles of Man- 

 chester there is a population of some 8,000,000 of people, said to be 

 the largest consumers of merino mutton in England. At present all 

 our meat is shipped to London, situated in one corner of the country, 

 whence it has to be railed into the provinces at a cost of a ^d. and 

 over per lb. By shipping direct to Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, 

 Cardiff, and other ports considerable expenditure in rail freight will be 

 avoided, as well as depreciation in the quality of the meat, while the 

 advantages of having four or five centres from which to distribute, 

 instead of only one, cannot be overestimated. The first shipment to 

 Manchester arrived in excellent condition, and alread}^ steps are being 

 taken to increase the facilities for distribution from this centre by the 

 reduction of railway rates into Yorkshire. Excellent accommodation 

 for storing perishable goods is available at Manchester, more especi- 

 ally for the reception of frozen meat, and the initiation of the trade 

 has been under most favourable conditions. In 1883 experts declare 

 that it was not possible to put Australian meat on the Home market, 

 at imder Gd. a lb., yet it can now be sold at a profit at less than half 

 that price. In 1883 a London salesman advised Xew Zealand exporters 

 that a supply of 4,000 frozen sheep a week would be ample, and that 

 any large increase on that number would create a glut ; yet in 1893 

 the average monthly imports of frozen meat amounted to 75,000 sheep, 

 and there was no glut. Moreover, the reduction in freight and charges 

 enables exporters to net more now selling sheep at 3d. a lb. than they 

 did formerly when sold at double the price. 



There has been a remarkable development lately in the meat export 

 works of our Colony, and within a few years some twenty sets of works 

 have been erected. Shortly, almost every district of New South Wales 

 will be supplied with a meat factory. During the past year two of our 

 largest companies have duplicated their works : a third, which we may 

 say started in that year, propose to greatly extend theirs, another has 

 added meat-freezing works to their ice-making plant. The largest 

 meat-preserving factory in the Colony has been enlarged and improved ; 

 another inland meat-preserving firm has greatly extendegl its opera- 

 tions. An extensive new freezing works, thoroughly up to date, has 

 made a most successful start in Eiverina. Two more inland chilling 

 works have been completed, and three others are in course of construe- 



