Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 9 (April 1, 1933)

[section]

An interested spectator of the loading operations, His Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe.

An interested spectator of the loading operations, His Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe.

Frozen mutton has a long and notable success in shipments from New Zealand to the Homeland, but the first shipment of chilled beef was only made on the 2nd February of this year.

The Railway Management made special arrangements for the supply of insulated vans and fast despatch from the Waingawa (Wairarapa) works of Messrs. T. Borthwick and Son to Wellington port, in order that this first shipment, consisting of 330 hindquarters and 270 forequarters of beef, might have the best chance, so far as loading and despatch were concerned, of arriving in good order in Great Britain.

Hitherto, owing to the great distance to be covered, and the length of time taken on the passage, it has not been regarded as practicable to carry chilled beef from New Zealand to Britain. Recently, however, an experimental shipment was taken from Sydney to London in the Port Fairy, on her last voyage. Although the meat was actually in the ship for forty-five days, it was successfully delivered in London and marketed in excellent condition, to the complete satisfaction of all concerned with the venture.

The success of the Australian shipment has induced Messrs. Thomas Borthwick and Sons Ltd. to undertake a similar venture with New Zealand chilled beef.

Every precaution was taken to ensure that only the very best quality beef was selected.

The Port Fairy (a C. and D. Line motor-ship) was also chosen for the New Zealand experiment.