Freezing Works For Gore Recommended

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30977, 5 February 1966, Page 1

Freezing Works For Gore Recommended

Establishment of a new freezing works at Gore is the chief recommendation of the South Island Freezing Works Investigation Committee, in its report released yesterday. Canterbury and Otago works’ capacity, the committee finds, is enough to meet projected kills up to 1972 and beyond.

The committee makes two other recommendations—that a permanent committee be established to study the industry and make recommendations for additional killing capacity for the South Island; and that steps be taken to get earlier publication of the breeding ewe figures to help in their planning, the Meat and Wool Boards, the industry generally, and shipping interests.

The committee, comprising Messrs C. G. Trotter (chairman), E. R. McKillop, F. C. Johnstone and S. Swift (secretary), held public hearings at Dunedin between September 6 and 9 to supplement submissions made by interested parties. “On the evidence available to the committee, it expresses the following views,” the report states. “Canterbury has sufficient killing space in sight to meet projected kills up to 1972. The Canterbury works can be further expanded to meet demands beyond this point. Reasonably early action will be necessary to decide and plan how future additional space should be provided. “Work in hand in Otago to provide additional killing capacity should be adequate to meet anticipated demands up to and beyond 1972. “Southland has sufficient space in sight to meet projected kills up to 1972, provided the chains are manned to increase output from 3200 to 3500, and provided the season’s loading days are increased from the present 82 days to 99 days. The four Southland works appear to offer limited scope for further increasing killing capacity.”

Location But, the committee says, the three provinces cannot be viewed in isolation, and there is distinct advantage if works can be located where, in time of emergency, stock for slaughter can readily be moved from one area to another.

The report begins with an analysis of actual and projected breeding ewe figures for the three provinces. Canterbury’s total has risen from 5,744,000 in 1960 to 6,362,000 in 1965, and the 1972 total is estimated at 7,390,000, an increase since 1960 of 15.4 per cent.

Otago’s 1960 figure was 3,778,000, with 4,392,000 in 1965, and an estimated 5,219,000, or a 19.8 per cent increase, by 1972. Southland’s 1960 total was 4,148,000. with 5,088,000 last year, and an estimated increase to 7,333,000, or 44.1 per cent, by 1972.

Sheep and lambs killed at Canterbury’s seven works in

1964-65 totalled 5,727,000. or 52,950 a day on 104 killing days. Otago’s kill at three works was 3,076,000, or 31,100 a day on 99 killing days, and the Southland figures were 5,153,000, or 62,500 a day, on 82 killing days at four works. On the estimated 1972 figures, the report continues, Canterbury will be killing 6,725,000 sheep and lambs by 1972, Otago 3,763,000 and Southland 7,618,000. Unused Capacity The committee says that it is not convinced that an 85day loading season is reasonable for Canterbury, as 196465 killings, handled over. 104 days, left substantial unused capacity outside the peak period. The committee agrees that facilities should be provided for stock to be handled in a 98-day season to allow of greater flexibility during the recognised peak and to help overcome emergencies caused by droughts. It is important, the committee says, that the Canterbury situation be kept under constant review to see how planned works expansion is progressing, the stock increases that have taken place, and the relaxation that has been made to killing quotas.

Canterbury’s seven works, strategically placed in relation to stock, have an average kill of 817,000, compared with Otago’s three-works average of 1,025,000 and Southland’s four-works average of 1,291,000. Though Canterbury works show a considerable slaugh-ter-board capacity increase by 1972, some of it cannot be used until follow-on departments are enlarged, the report continues. The estimated cost of this work is £1,791,000. On indications, and provided no restrictive quotas are applied, the Canterbury works by 1972 will be enlarged to the equivalent of a four-chain works, which, on present-day cost, would probably cost about £sm. Follow-on Work

The committee believes that it is sensible to endorse and encourage the completion of follow-on work to allow full use of slaughter-board capac-

ity, and, if this were done, the works would adequately cope with the projected increase in the kill until 1972. It would save more than £3m. The committee notes the trend to earlier killing in Canterbury works and says this is desirable, as it makes better use of works capacity, and facilitates the management of flocks and pastures. If the trend had not developed, much more killing capacity would have been needed for peak demands. Dealing with Otago, the committee discounts the view put to it that much of the projected increase of 12,000 beef cattle and 102,000 breeding ewes for the whole of Westland would come to Omakau.

Though the Central Otago Farmers’ Freezing Company said it was assured of at least 750,000 for a works at Omakau, the committee notes that the largest share of Otago’s increased kill came from Tuapeka, Bruce and Clutha counties, and that the Finegand works at Balclutha are to be substantially enlarged. Southland, with 714,000 more breeding ewes between 1961 and 1965, and a projected further increase of 2,112,000 from 1965 and 1972, far outstrips Canterbury and Otago on the projected figures, the report continues. Higher Kill

Southland also has a higher percentage kill of sheep and lambs to breeding ewes than the other two provinces. The four works have a combined daily loading capacity of 62,500, with work in progress to raise that to 77,000. On the over-all view, the committee states, there are physical limitations in the way of providing much more killing space at Mataura and Ocean Beach. The Alliance and Makarewa works each have six chains working, with a daily total of 21,000 and any major increase might create practical difficulties. The committee, therefore, concluded that the situation in Southland justifies the establishment of new works to ensure adequate killing space after 1972. On the basis of a firm proposal from the Gore Freezing Works Investigation Committee, the “authoritative submission" and an inspection impressed the committee with the advantages of having the new works at Gore.

The committee recommends that its proposed reviewing committee should be formed of representatives from the Meat Board, the South Island Freezing Companies’ Association. Federated Farmers and the Department of Agriculture with an independent chairman.