ANNUAL MEETING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1612, 27 November 1905, Page 2

ANNUAL MEETING.

GISBORNE SHEEPFARMERS' FROZEN MEAT CO. The annual meeting of the Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ Frozen Meat Company was held on Saturday morning. There were present: Messrs C. A. DeLautour (chairman), W. D. Lysnar, F. Hall, J. Clark, W R Barker, F. B. Barker. E. M. Hutohinson, J. W. Bright, W. K. Chambers, and D. Morice.

The Chairman presented the annual

balance-sheet (already published), and in moving its adoption made a speeoh of colonial interest, which will be given fally to-morrow. Mr Clark seconded the motion. Mr, Lysnar emphasised Iho necessity of obtaining still better arrangements for the [ oarrying of their produce to London. They 1 had. been able to obtain a Blight concession. from the shipping companies, by which the balance sheet showed they had re- :> oeived £ll6O compared- with last yeßt’s freights. This agreement, though only obtained recently, had -been made antecedent and was to data from the commencement of last season. The oharges bad been 12 16tba of a penny per lb, with a rebate of 5 per cent., and were now reduced to 11-16tha of a penny per lb, and a 21- per cent rebate. This was a very small Bllowanoe when compared to the new service that had been opened up to the North and West of England, 'where the freight was still 3-16 tbs of a penny less. He wonld not be content to continue paying the present charges,- and urged that they Bhould stand together until they forced the companies to carry their produoa at a more reasonable sate. New Zealand was overcharged, compared with the freights ruling in Australia. He had no complaint to make against the company, they carried their meat, woH,i _ were regular in their calls, and gave them every facility. There was only one other thing, that was the large number of damaged carcases. About 10 per cent, of tbeir mutton arrived home with a damaged

ticket on it. He had been informed by i the manager of the New Zealand and South African Company that they would be willing to call here for 6000 oareases, and probably'evon 4000. He would like to see the experiment of sending shipments to the North of England tried for a few months. They would save rail oharges of £2 10s per ton from London to Manchester, where the dock oharges were lower than in London, and in addition to which they Would save 8-16th of a penny per lb in freight. Thus they could Bell their meat per lb less in Manchester than in London, and still reoeive the same price here. By sending their prodnoe by, the Manchester trade they would foroe the shipping companies to bring down freights 8-16ths of a penny. Mr Clark said they oould not break tbeir contract. i

Mr Lysnar said they had made fresh arrangements. The Chairman, in reply to Mr Bright, explained that the bonus bad been raised to both shareholders and buyers alike. Tbe motion was carried unanimously. Mr Lysnur moved, and Mr Clark seconded, that the retiring directors, Messrs F. Hall, P. T. Kenway, and J, R. Murphy, be re-elected.-—Carried. Messrs H. M. Porter and A. Graham were re-eleoted auditors. ■

Mr Clark moved that’a similar bonus to that granted last year be voted to the Chairman, who had been mainly responsible for the successful operations of the I Company. I Mr Bright seconded the motion, and paid a high tribute to the Chairman’s financial abilities, and the good manage, raent of their chief official, Mr Cederwall, | The Chairman, returning thanks, said he thought the success of the Company had been fairly established. He moved tbe customary vote of thanks to the manager and officials of the Company; the directors had already voted the usual bonuses to the various officers. Mr Clark said he oould well seoond ihat.—Carried, r Mr Oederwall acknowledged tbe.compliment, and the meeting concluded.