ANOTHER FREEZING COMPANY

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 2 June 1910, Page 8

ANOTHER FREEZING COMPANY

* ' . MANAWATU jpEOJECT. r (By Telegraph.—Special' Correspondent.) Palmerston, June 1. ; There was a representative gathering of farmers this afternoon at the, office of the Palmerston 'branch of the Farmers' "Union to consider the question of the'establishment of co-operative freezing works in the Manawatu' district. .:,* : V Mr. J. Balsillie, chairman 'of the. branch, presided, and, in. opening the proceedings, explained that 'a. movement had been on foot for some time ,to secure works. for■the district. He detailed what had been done in the Wairarapa, .and also the _ steps so far taken to ascertain the feeling onVlthe question in Manawa.tu.. From what had been gathered, it was decided to call the present meeting and see what could-:be. effected towards carrying-the: project to a Successful issue. It had been stated that' tho'present companies had ' sufficient capacity to deal with all the stock which this district could grow, but lie would .point out that the companies had been'paying dividends us high as 12 per'cent, and mor- >ml were accumulating largo assets. j_. t one thought that itwwats t time that Hie farmers should put these profits in their own pockets. They had to'tako. all the risks in growing the stock, and should be recompensed accordingly..;. <.The companies. could not be blamed for taking care of themselves, 'but,:at the.same time, farmers should also : .lo'ok; after.'their own interests. A lengtliy discussion took place on the question, and it was eventually decided to form a co-operative freezing company, a committee being' set up to take the necessary steps with this object, GENERAL FARMING NEWS. Mr.. (J. tj. Haycock, of Nelson, has been endeavouring, to discover -why fat lambs bring so 'much more.-in Canterbury than in .Nelson. After a .visit south to investigate, he writes in the Nelson "Mail":—"The conclusion 1 came to is that it is mainly due to competition among ■ buyers. At the Tinwald yards there were over 4000 fat lambs ofiomi, and the four or jive purchasers of them represented large firms, which make 'a business of placing frozen meat oh the' Homo markets, 'l'liey competed keenly, and the prices ranged from 13s. to 17s. for fat lambs. I have sold lanibs myself during March and April at 10s., which were certainly as good lis those which brought 13s.

' So far as may be seen from the railway line, writes W.VV.D. in the "Press," the hundred miles or so of -country between Christchurch and Timaru is looking in good case for this time of the year. It is true that the. growth of grass has apparently stopped on the lightp land, and slackened on the better class of soils, but there is still a good deal of dryish iced (a natural hay), at which the stock can nibble. ' The turnip crops seem fairly good; stacks, including hay slacks, are numerous; and so far it scorns there are good prospects for the wintering of stock. '

The recently-formed co-operative company' at Onva-town, Marlhorough, has accepted a tender for a plant, and will shortly commence the erection «f iUs factory.

Says the Mataura "Knsign":—The value of land in the B-ivcrsdtile district may bo guoged by the fact that a farmer who holds a perpetual lease three miles from the township is asking .012 per acre for the goodwill.

Discontented New Zcahmders may be interested to learn that farmers are get,llllg .out or Canada because they think its prospects am not 100 rosv. (Jno Canadian who arrived in Australia the other day to have a look at the land out west Riivß it as bis opinion that what, with the long winters ami consequent feverish rush of work dining tho Canadian scasoii, and, at the end of the season, the liability to have wheal crops frosted or hailed out, fanning prospects in tho big Dominion wore not too attractive. With even good crops, the re■tunis to be obtained from them wore not, he said, calculated to produce a wealthy community of farmers unless they combined -farming with real estatework and dealing. . ;