The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-06-08
THE PACIFIC
Commercial ANOertiser
SA1URDA y, JUNE
Preserved Meats.

We frequently hear the remark made that
there is but one principal pursuit in these Islands,
in which capital and labor can be renumeratively
employed, namely sugar. And it would indeed
appear that such lie the general opinion, for
pretty much all branches of business seem to
cluster about and centre upon the one principal
product of the country. Sugar is king, and to
carry out the simile, it bids fair to become, if it
is not already, a despot. But there is actually
nothing in our circumstances that compels such
a state of things. There are very many other
channels which labor and capital with enterprise
may make available in developing our resources,
besides sugar. The last named qualification
enterprises what is chiefly wanting. But
there is another obstacle, which like an incubus
will invariably clog the movements of any new
enterprise here. No aid or encouragement in
anything new which is proposed can be expected
from the Government, unless Ministers can see in
it something that looks to their own ultimate
advantage. Otherwise the proposer may look
for nothing from whence he should expect en-
couragcment, bur cold words, or worse.
As We have said, there are very many resources
undeyeloped in these islands, which under differ
ent auspices would not long remain in that un-
pTOuUiDlc COnulltOH- Inc IlSC Oh mefcnuDtaDle
commodities that We might proiltably produce
for export, is q long one. We will to-day only
instance one, that occurs 1T the moment-that of
preserved meats. We have a superabundance of
beef cattle on the islands, and butchers meat is
cheap enough. The business of canning fresh
beef for export, we venture to predict, will at no
distant day become one of our important occu-
pations. Let us look mt a few facts and figures.
1t is only seven years ago since the business of
preserving fresh meats came into general notice
in Australia, and to-day whole cargoes are
shipped to Great Britain. The article has, after
going through the ordeal Of ignorant prejudice
and the close examination of scientific men,
established itself in the public favor, and it is
now a favorite dish on the table of the average Eng
Iish and Scotch middle and laboring classes. The
price of '' prime joints in the cities il rs high
as n shilling a pound, and at that rate the poor
man cannot be supposed to afford many joints y
of the prime sort. But he can get q pound can
of the excellent 80 Ramornie " brand of Austria
liam preserved meat, for from six and n half to
eight-pence. The best brands Of Australian
timed meat being at eight-pence per pound, and
the lowest they descend to is seven-pence or six
pence, half-penny for mutton. The London con-
sumner has no difficulty in supplying himself, for,
as we read in a late exchange, every good retail
street from London Bridge to Hammersmith,
contains at least one depot for the sale of these
meats.
The fact that the article has already become
established la the markets of Europe, ID a cir
cumstance of course in favor of the producer in
any new country. The way is prepared and
omen for him to enter in with his commodity and
compete for 4 livelihood.
We shall again revert to this subject, and give
some estimates and figures, as applied to these
Islands.