Industries.

Turning to what are strictly the industries of Canterbury; by far the most interesting and important is that which has to do with the freezing and export of meat for the English market. Nothing could illustrate better the exceptionally favourable conditions of soil, climate and rainfall in Canterbury than the quality, regularity, and rapidly increasing volume of the exports of frozen meat. This industry commenced in 1885, with the factory at Belfast (Christchurch), and the export for that year amounted to 113,700 carcases of mutton There are now three factories in Canterbury—two at Christchurch and one at Timaru—and the total export for the ensuing years estimated at 500,000 carcases, for the ports of Lyttelton and Timaru The admirable equipment and working of the direct steam services have greatly facilitated the development of the New Zealand meat trade. The North Canterbury mutton commands the highest price of any frozen mutton that is sold in the English market.

With the extension of the frozen meat trade the business of fellmongering has assumed large proportions. Allied with sheep slaughtering, there are also manure and other industries that exist for the manipulation of the blood and offal. And experience and science have no doubt yet much to do in the way of turning to fuller account the parts of the animals now deemed of little value. Meat-preserving and bacon-curing are also important and successful industries, In dairy products, co-operation and machinery are now achieving better results in respect of uniformity of quality of both cheese and butter.