CO-OPERATIVE MEAT WORKS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 601, 1 September 1909, Page 10

CO-OPERATIVE MEAT WORKS.

SITES REVIEWED. ' WHAT THE ENGINEER THINKS OF THEM: " :. Although the final selection of a site for the freezing works of the. Wellington' Farm-, crs' Co-operative Meat Company is to be made by vote of the shareholders.at a meeting to bo held on September 10, it is interesting to know what the company's engineer, Mr. A. S. Mitchell, thinks of some of them. Reporting on the sites on offer in tho vicinity of Wellington, he says:— Petone. "Both of the sites under offer at .Petone I consider, quite unsuitable for your purpose; principally because of the fact that they are situated on that side of the Hutt River- distant from the railway line, thus necessitating the construction of a bridge and railwaj lino over the river to give access to the works. The cost of construction of a work makes the adoption of these sites quite impracticable. .'

"The Bite inspected at Silverstream ia also out of tho question, owing to its great distance from any point at' which drainage from tho works can ho discharged.

Banks Company's Site. "The site undor offer by tho Bauks "Meat Company is well situated with regard to drainage and, water supply,. but has, the great disadvantage of being, about threequarters of a mile from the railway line. The cost of tho construction pf a siding of this' length would amount to about £5000. • Another disadvantage of this site is tho small area of flat land available for the purpose of building, this area being-further reduced by a right-of-way through the.samo to tho property of Messrs. W. Dirnock and Co. Tho actual fiat area available, although sufficient to build of the size you require, would leave no room whatever for holding of paddocks, as the balance of the property is much too steep'for this-purpose. The-buildings,.con-nected with this property" would bo absolutely no use for the purpose of a modern freezing, works, such as you require, and would all require to bO'denlolishcd, to. carry out such a ; scheme,'- '":' : '"' ''

Tawa Flat. "Since visiting the site under offer to yon at Tawa Flat, 1 have made tlio fullest inquiries from the firm of surveyors who surveyed the- property, the Hallway- Department, and the engineer of the.Mental'Hospital at i'oriraa, who have all kindly placed such information as they have at. my disposal. In'regard to tho water supply, I.am now quite satisfied that with storage_at:commodutiuii and • pumping appliances', tho "supply available Would'he ample for all your requirements; and, in the event-of extension, there would, 1 am sum. bo ro V"*"culty in securing tho water rights of other streams adjacent- to the picpcuy under..uifer. In regard to drainage, this will present, no'difficulty, as, -although the site is distant some 2J miles from the point'suitable for the discharge of drainage, there is a fall to the sea of at least 110 feat, which will be more than sufficient for your purpases. . My estimate and cost of drainage and water supply .work in connection with a works situatod-at this site .would be about £5000. In regard to the accc.iiibility to the railway,'! am assured by this Department, who have gone very fully, into, the .matter, that thoro will-bo no difficulty'in this connection;.the cost of this being on the lowest scale. ' Tho right to drain along, the railway lino is, I understand, bciiig investigated by the present owners .of 'the' 'property; who, no doubt will report'to you'direct.' Should you decide on the site at Tawa'Flat, it will be necessary to secure the whole of the catchment area supplying the creak on this property, in order to protect-the water supply; from pollution." .' ......-,

A Site Favoured, fey Many. ■ Tlio above report douls only with sites near to Wellington city. Of tlio other sites msjjceted, of which there are very many, it is understood tbat the Waingawa site, in' JVaLra-rapn, is officially considered- the. most suitable. Whether it will be the' final choice, •eowever, will depond 011 tho vote' at the shareholders' meeting. .