The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1896. LONGBURN FREEZING WORKS.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 260, 8 May 1896, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1896. LONGBURN FREEZING WORKS.

Our readers are aware that a meeting of settlers was held at Palmerston yesterday to take into consideration the advisableness of buying the freezing works now lying idle at l.ongburn. The attendance was not so large as the occasion merited, but the Chairman put before the meeting the present position of stockowners as compared with what it was at the time the Longburn works were projected, about six years ago. At that time two powerful freezing companies, through their agents, held a monopoly, and the farmers had to accept for their stock whatever price was offered them. The Chairman stated the plea on which the now defunct company was (we are quoting from the report in the Manawatu Standard) was floated was that whether the then projected works might pay or not, stockowners could not fail to be more than recouped for any money they might invest, and that as a matter of fact, according to information given biui by original shareholders, although the money invested had gone beyond recovery, they had been repaid over and Over again by the increased value of their sheep, which, as he had been informed by several old shareholders,- was equal to at least oa per head. Mr Mow bray pointed out that the whole of the buildings, plant, machinery, and rolling stock—which latter cost £1800 and which • might , be disposed of without

difficulty at something like £1500— could be purchased for a sum ot £10,---000, the original cost having been nearly £30,000. The speaker further showed that an outlay of £4000 would bring the works up to date with the most recent ammonia freezing plant. Mr Mowbray went on to say that if the farmers of the district did not seize the opportunity of acquiring the works at the low price named the works would, he was credibly informed, be acquired by the other freezing companies of the district, closed down, probably dismantled, and the farmers placed for years to come under a crushing monopoly. It was ultimately resolved, " That every effort should be made by the settlers of the district to acquire the Longburn Freezing Works at the very low figure at which they can now be purchased, and so prevent the possibility of a monopoly ; further that the notice convening the present meeting having been very short and the attendance consequently less than it would otherwise have been, this meeting stand adjourned to Thursday, the 21st instant." It is not to be expected that the farmers and others who lost money in connection with the works in question will put their hands in their pockets again, unless they are morally certain a second similar calamity will not overtake them. However, it is to be hoped they will muster in force at next meeting and thoroughly ventilate the subject, and consider its importance from every standpoint.