THE GEAR MEAT COMPANY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1002, 17 December 1910, Page 7

THE GEAR MEAT COMPANY.

'ANNUAL jiEETISG. .... The annua! meeting. 4 ot t-lio Gear Meat Preserving .and ■ Freezing .'Company was hold last evening. Mr. W. H. Millward occupied the .chair. Therew-a&a good attendance of shareholders. ■ Mr. Millward, in moving the adoption of the report and balanco-shoct ■ (published on December 7) for the year ending November 50, Eaid: I have ploasn.ro in congratulating you upon .the successful result of the year's operations. The season was in every respect a good one. Stock came forward in record numbers and in ex-cellent-'condition, and although tfco outlook at tho beginning of 1910 was gloomy, the low rates at which, mutton and lamb were sold in (ho previous year had bo stimulated consumption that -tho demand quite . ltept pace with the,, supply, .. and proved what a splendid advertisement our previous temporary disadvantage had been to tho . trade.. I am cure from my. own observations that during 1909 our r.eat found its way into numerous places where, but for the exceedingly teu-pting quotations, it might liavo taken many more years to reach. At tho present moment all products in which the CM; pnny is interested are bringing good prices. The prospects are not indicative of any advance! but- rather of tho reverse, as reference to the High Commissioner's btest cablegram foreshadows. Tho realisation of my prognostications, as to i-ustralia increasing its output, during the r.ext ten years, has.already begun.to ..unfold itself. The shipments'for tho twelve months ending November,' 1909, and 1910, bt.ing'as follow:— 1909: Sheep and lambs. 2.E29.CC0; beef, 279,C00 quarters. 1910: Sheep and lambs, 4,198,000: beef, 510,500 Quarter's. With more population and subdivision in many of tho districts suitable for close seillement, both dairying and lamb-raising will continue. to expand in tho Commonwealth. During the period under review the ccmpany has kept abreast of the latest improvements, and lias made profitable additions to most of its. departmental buildings and plants. Personally, I have found the experience'gained in tho United. Kingdom of great servico to mo jn dealing with many .of tho problems which our business is constantly meeting, and in this connection I have been hMy assisted in every section by our -tail and employes generally, to whom we. are indHilcd for exceptional zeal and-.intertst in their worlc and tho company's weltf.re. The loss by damage has Deen to trif.ing as to permit of an increased bonus out of tho insurance fund. This ii gratifying, inasmuch as there has reon a dw.l r "bill-bed about the handling of t.ho llomiaion's products in London and elsey'ic-ci So far as the company's own consignments are ..concerned everything is so carefully supervised,. both her and at Homo,' that tlio damage has been practically ,nl. ard tho position of the insurance roserve reflects the result of this necessary attention on the part of our officials. Clients' meat-and fhat sold J.o.b. passes out.of :<ur>-hands on shipment, and does not, therefore, came under this category. In view .?f the developments and consolidation of interests which wore taking place■ in va>. : ous parts of tJ>.o, world, tho directors liavo decided it advisable, after mature consideration, to materially strengthen tho pmeral ro?«rve fund, as they are of opinion that tho oompany's interests will be best conserved by a strong bulwark in this form. Tho insurance reserve,- as its n .uio inip'.ics, is practically earmarked for specific risks. • Mr. Beauchamp, in seconding t>'<! motion referred to the alarming repcrts published in respect to the handling of frozen meat on arrival at tho T'.rdon decks. He had had practical'experience of tho great caro displayed in handling the moat i-ad was distinctly of the cplr.ion i'n&t the. : statements made were not foraded on fact. . The motion was carried unanimously. The . three, retiring rtractors, Mhcts; H. Beauchamp, N. Held, and A. IS. .Mcwman, were re-eleotcd.

Hie auditors of the company, JTfgfrs. R. T. Badham. and K. A*. Bunt, too also reappointed.

- Alter several +t- tnoso present ha.l 'oxpressed their .appreciation of "the satisfactory state of tho balance-sheet, votes of thanks, were passed to the chairman for presiding, and the staff and employees for the able manner in which 'Ibey dis* charged their dutios.