MEAT WORKS AT WAINGAWA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 855, 29 June 1910, Page 8

MEAT WORKS AT WAINGAWA.

AN -INTERESTING ACCOUNT. fTrom Our Special CorresDondent.t In response to a courteous invitation extended by Mr. J. C. Coopor, chairman directors of tho "Wellington Fanners Meat Company, your representative on Saturday last paid a visit to the freezing* works, which arc in course of construction .at Waingawa, about three and k half miles south of Masterton. The works, which aro situated close to the railway line,.are approached by ti n'cwlyinetalled private road, over a chain in width, leading off from the main road to Carterton. They are on stony ground, in the centre of a .100-acre area of land, -which has been selected on account oi its facilities for draining- the central posi- i tion,- and its proximity to the railway. The contract for erecting the buildings . was let to Messrs. Taylor and llodges, oetween three and four months ago, and under its terms the work was to be completed in December. However, judging bv the progress which has been made to date, the contract is likely to be completed before the end oi November, lhe > ' Duildings will cover an area of about Dne and a half acres. Tallow and Manure. The tallow and manuro buildings, with digesters,' are constructed in iron, with massive beams and studs, and are on u concrete' foundation. The" dimensions of these buildings are 90ft. x 90ft., and there is an upper story to accommodate the digesters. They ar«s to be connectca by an overhead tramway with the kill-ing-room, which is in brick, on the top floor of the; skin and wool department, which latter will occupy a floor space of |120 ft. x 90ft. On one side of the killingloom will be hooks and pens, for; twenty 'mutton butchers, and on the other yide .accommodation for the beef and pig 'butchers. Skins and Wool. On the ground floor is an ofFal room, and adjoining it a wool-drying room, 25ft. a 50ft., which is to be fitted up with a Petrio wool-drier. This leads into the wool and skin scores, which are 75ft. x. 50ft. The brick walls are, in most cases, ! eighteen inches in thickness. The bricks :(7U0,0G0 of which- aro being used) were obtained from Silverstream, and are hard ind durable. On the western side of these buildings are two lines of railway, which run from a specially-provided siding. One of these will serve the manure, tallow, and wool works, and the otner the refrigerating chambers and coal-bins. A capacious otiice is situated in a commanding position between the killing and manure works, and in front of the refrigerating chambers. The latter will ,havo an overhead connection with the which will servo also as a cooling chamber. There are five refrigi . -erating chambers,, in all, with a capacity for 1500 sheep and lambs each. These .will be* equipped with the latest pattern of Haslam refrigerator, which will pro-' <luce 100 tons 6f ice per day. The carcasses of mutton and beef, after being v in the refrigerating room for seventy-two hours, will be packed into tho' ftorexoom, which has a capacity for storing 45,000 mixed carcasses, and will be provided with labour-saving, automatic carriers. The refrigerating chambers and storeroom will form a solid block of pumice insulation. The'timbers used in. the interior are massive totara and jarrah. The boiler-house and engine-room adjoin the storeroom. They will be provided with three Babcock boilers. The smoke-stack, which will be SOft. high, will be some distance removed from tho engine-room, and, will be oh a concrete base. Other Equipments. , Other equipments will include a con denser-house and a water-tank capable ?of storing 500,000 gallons of water. Tho water will be supplied, through - a 12-inch • pipe, connecting, by arrangemeut, with one of tho water-races of the Taratahi Water-race Board. It is thought that I tho supply will be more than sufficient jfor immediate requirements. However, if more water- is required, it can be procured from the springs which abound on the property. It is proposed to "rec 1 , a bacon factory to the fouth-west of the refrigerating room,with an overhead connection between the two. The drainage from the works, is to be conducted into the paddocks of the company (of which thSre will l>e twenty, or more), and used for fertilising purposes.. - A tinning-room of considerable dimensions is being provided to the north of the boiler-room. The works as a whole are being constructed on line 3 of economy and convenience, and possibilities of extensions Are kept in view. The Cost of the Works. The cost of the works, when completed, will be-between .£>o,ooo and -£40,000. The contract price for the buildings was .-£18,070, and for the machinery about .£13,000. Of the latter sum, about J;[)(j00 will go for boilers and refrigerating machinery. A manure-drier, etc., is being installed at a cost of ,£2200, and the contract for the electric plant has been „ let at <£1010. The railway siding cost J!1500. Operations of the Company. The company, which came into existence only a few months back, has a capital of c£60,000. Of this sura, tho directors decided to allot JMO.OOO, and .£39,400 of this amount has been allotted. When tho. last call is paid, it is expected that tho works will be entirely free of debt. In, the district extending from - the ltimutaka. to this side "of Porangahau, between 600 and 700 farmers have taken up shares. The company will confine its operations to freezing on owners' account, :but will find purchasers for frozen stock 'in the store-room. • Messrs. Fitter and ;Sons, whA are the London ageuts of the •.company, are already in communication :with the directors .regarding next season's output.