194 The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. [July 
Frozen meat is conveyed from the docks to the Smithfield and other 
city stores by insulated vans holding about 120 carcases, or river barges 
holding 1,000 to 1,200 carcases. Originally cold-storage rates were fd. per 
pound per twenty-eight days, but in 1891 the rate was reduced to Jd. per 
pound or £1 0s. 9d. per ton, with practically little change since. 
Mention cannot be omitted of the great Smithfield Meat-market. It is 
not a long call from the day in February, 1880, when the “ Strathleven’s ” 
cargo of 40 tons of frozen meat was sold at Smithfield ; but compare this 
small beginning, only thirty-six years ago (1916), with the 250,000 tons of 
frozen meat now handled there annually ! 
The London central markets at Smithfield as a whole occupy about 
10 acres. The main building is 600 ft. by 240 ft. The central avenue is 
27 ft. wide, and there are six side avenues. Each shop is 36 ft. by 15 ft., 
and behind is an office. The average daily sales of meat at Smithfield in 
1910 were 24,000 carcases of mutton and lamb, 2,700 quarters beef, and 
2,500 carcases pork. 
As mentioned before, insulated vans bring the meat from the cool stores 
to Smithfield, and they start to load up at 10 p.m. and reach the market 
at abouf 3 a.m. The salesmen arrive before 4 a.m., at which time the 
retailers begin to come along, eager to purchase their requirements for 
their customers. Sample carcases are unclothed and, hung up, and from 
these up to, say, 200 carcases are sold at a time. The buyers are suburban 
butchers, representatives of large stores, Government contractors, restaurant- 
keepers, &c. The retail meat trade in England is divided between the 
butchers who kill their animals at their own slaughterhouses and those 
who purchase their requirements in the markets. 
When frozen meat was first handled at Smithfield, and for many years 
afterwards, it was sold bv agents on commission; but the American firms 
came on the scene and decided to sell for themselves, so they acquired 
various stalls in the Grand Avenue, paying heavy sums for goodwill. 
It is recorded that the Morris Beef Company paid £16,000 for the good¬ 
will of the lease of one of their three shops. The Hammond Beef Company 
has two stalls ; Armours hold four ; Swifts have six. It is known that 
this latter firm paid £12,000 for the goodwill of the lease of one only of 
these six stalls. 
Among the largest British firms are James Nelson and Sons (Limited), 
who own about 1,500 shops in the United Kingdom ; Eastmans (Limited), 
about 1,400 ; the Biver Plate Fresh Meat Company and W. B. Fletcher 
(Limited), over 400 each ; and the London Central Meat Company, over 
500. It is calculated that there are over 100,000 butchers’ shops in the 
United Kingdom, and that 80 per cent, of imported meat is sold by firms 
who sell no other kind of meat. 
It must not be lost sight of that New Zealand’s shipments of frozen 
meat (large as they are) were only 22 per cent, of the total imports of meat 
in the United Kingdom before the war. , 
Smithfield has participated in all the ups and downs of the trade, and 
all the problems of the industry virtually take their rise there. The New 
Zealand farmer who ships frozen meat looks upon Smithfield as his Mecca, 
and visitors from all parts of the world are constantly seen there. Smith- 
field, or “ Smoothfield ” as it was termed in mediaeval days, is rich in historical 
romance. In the days of the tournaments St. Bartholmew’s Fair was held 
there; in the days of Mary and Elizabeth, Catholics and Protestants burnt 
each other there by turn ; and it was the fashionable place for public 
executions before Tyburn became the mode. As a market for live-stock 
we hear of Smithfield in 1150. In 1253 the market was the property of 
the Corporation, and Edward III gave a charter to the City of London 
