THE KAIKOURA STAR KAIKOURA, MAY 4, 1906. THE MUCH TALKED OF FISH FREEZING COMPANY.

Kaikoura Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 34, 4 May 1906, Page 4

THE KAIKOURA STAR KAIKOURA, MAY 4, 1906. THE MUCH TALKED OF FISH FREEZING COMPANY.

Much has been said through the columns of this journal eom-erniiig the flotation of the Kaikoura, Refrigerating and I’dshing Company. Correspondents have been condemning the method of floating the company, while others have been endeavouring to push t he iudustry on to a <iefiiiite and success fill issue. The matter of allotting four hundred fully p iid up shares to the promoters is the subject of discussion, and several would be sha reholdei-s are severely crilici-- < iiig the promoters in this resi'.cet. I However, we ii cognise that perhaps an error of judgment has occurred and the number of promoters’ shares might have been slightl,v reduced, yet we tire just as a iixiotis that t he company shoulil be floated and the industry commenced. It is well in all such concerns that the pros and eons should be thoroughly threshed out. in order that the public may see at a glance whether or not the concern is a bona fide one. All must admit, however, th it t his fish freezing company is a genuine one, and one calculatc<l toeiibailee the value of property in Kaikoura. increase the population of the township, and assist in making a greater name for the place. 'Things have been at .a standstill long enough in this locality, and every resident in the county should lend a helping hand and assist the promoters in pushing on this important indusi try. We must confess that if the i promoters do accept the 101) shares I allotted to them (but we have i every ri-.ason to believe such will | not lie Ihe case), they should lie , loyally supported liy the public i generally for the great amount, of ' time |i'H in and ••on’iniied thought exercised during the past twelve I months to bring the matter to a ! head. Il every adult in t lie county I took up one share each, there ! would be liillc doubt as to t lie .'•iK'ess of the uinK>rtaking. ami seeing the ea Ils are so low (2s (id) ■ t lie sha iisa re within the reach of I.all. Soin? people ask wha.t is the : use of raising fami 1 ies in Kaikoura? W hit ;i re our sons t> do? What : is the use of people coining to sel- ■' tic in Kai koura while there is lit tie i or nothing for them to do? The I ansivei-to t hese questions is plain a.nd simple. Let us pull together and create new industries. Then j there will be something to do: something to work for, ami some- i thing by which many a man may carnan honest and lucrative living. Let us inaugurate this freez- j ing works, which will be a stepping I -tone to something greater. By j the establish nu'iil of fish freezing works here probably 50 or (>0 more j fishermen will he induced to settle , in our mid.-t. Some of them may I have wii’esand families to care for. i Those families will have to be ' clothed and fed : houses will have I to he found for them: town sections will be in greater demand, ami trade generally will be in- i creased ei’ery business man in the | place must reap a benefit. In the I face of this, who can say that an industry of t his kind will be of no ad vantage to this district. Every le\el-headcd and progressive person, who has the interest of the district at heart, should come forward and put. his should<'r to the wheel in order t hat the company should be tloaterl and fully subscribed purely by Kaikoura capital. It would lie a pity to have to go to Ohrjstphurch, or elsewhere, to get the balance of two thousand shares taken up, and a crying s|iame and lasting disgrace to see healthy dividends being sent out of our’district. 'Che energy, t ime, and capital that lias been put into I

the project by many shareholders I is truly worth some, return, and it 1 is the duty of all to push on ind j make a huge success of t he enter-I prise. There is not the slightest i doubt that innnumerable fish :trc j in this locality, and the prices fish I are being sold at in the Sydney | ma rkets is, to our mind, a sulticien t guarantee that there is money in the undertaking. Take, for inst/,H)t;e. a, recent day’s work for our local tlNhei'iHen about twelve in number —and work It orit fo),‘yourselves. On the day in questibn the iishernien landed eight tone of

;y-h on to (he w harf. Had the freezer been established, this iwhat the result would have been : -Eight tons at hl per ]l> would turn in a total sum of £7l 13s Id. Divide this betwei‘ll the twel'.e menand each would earn £(> 8s 5d for his day’s work - a most ci editable w age. Presuming the Sydney market w a- steady -as it lias been for the }>ast nine months ami the fish realised 7<i per )b all round (some, by the w ay, triimneter. blue cod ami terakihi. fetching lOd Io Is 4<l), and allowing, say 4d per lb for duty, freight, commission, and

working charges, w hich is an outside margin, would bring the m t puce dow n to 3d per lb, md then the coni pa ny would clear £22! oi that one day’s fishing for twebe nien. AVhat might the result l.e with.>o to 70 men fi-hing? Ther, ■ ig-ii.'i. I here is the w haling indu - try. Every one know- •• what’s in a whale, and if thecompiuy went in I'd' whaling .judiciously there would be more money made for the whaler? and t hi? eompan y tha u tin- geiier.-i I public could imagin' . Well, then, readers, awaken from your long and sellisli slumber ami push on a concern that will not only bring you a handsome return for your, money, but will materially assist in making Kaikoura what it should be i working man’s pa rad ise;