CO-OPERATIVE FREEZING COMPANY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 453, 13 April 1909, Page 3

CO-OPERATIVE FREEZING COMPANY.

THE QUESTION OF SITE. •At the Woodville conference of delegates last Wednesday to discuss the project of establishing co-operative freezing works for Wellington province and adjoining districts. The Chairman submitted for inspection estimates and sketch plans of freezing works of different capacities, and stated that an offer of a free site from the Foxton Harbour Board had been received. The proprietors of the Woodville Freezing Works were also wishing to sell their structure. Mr Balsillie said there vyas ample room for another freezing works, but money was scarce. A good deal of support would be given the project on the West Coast, but the question ot site was the most important that would have to be laced. He most decidedly.objected to inland towns. The feeling in the Manawatu was entirely for a seaboard site. Mr Booth (Feilding) said that, like the Manawatu farmers, the Feilding men were still suffering from the effects of a previous venture. However, some of them would take up shares, and if the site were fixed they could consider the matter. Mr MTlroy (Feilding) said his district considered the works should be at Foxton, as railage to Wellington would be too expensive. . The chairman said there appeared to be two things that the West Coast delegates were sticking over. One was Eongburn, which had been purely a farmers’ concern, and was started when the frozen meat industry was not what it is now. The other difficult question was that of the site. Wairarapa, which had ,no pet harbour, was nevertheless in favour of a seaboard scheme. He found that the New Zealand Shipping Company had taken up ,£20,000 worth of shares in the Tojccimaru works (Hawke’s Bay), and also a large number in a Canterbury company, and he had been advised that they would also assist the proposed company liberally. Mr ' Kummer (Mauriceville) said he thought a site tp suit both coasts shoqld he hear Wellington. Mr Qroves (Te Nui) considered' Castlepoint was a good site. Mr R. M'Kenzie (Masterton) said the cost of railage from Wairafapa to Foxton would be much greater,than to Wellington. Mr Cooper suggested a Porirua

harbour site. He hoped that the West Coast people were not absolutely tied to Foxton, Mr Lomax said he thought there would be sufficient support to run the works in any site. Mr Wingate said the expenses at Wellington would be greater. He had never thought of Porirua till the chairman mentioned it. At Foxton they would be able to land their stock on the oceangoing liners for the same price as it was shipped in Wellington harbour.

Mr Lomax wanted to know then why the Lougburn works didn’t ship at Foxton. Mr Wingate said the Longburn Company found it advisable for other reasons to rail their stuff to Wellington. Mr. M'Kenzie said that another consideration was that the large population in Wellington would buy the rejects. Mr Lomax said the rejects were canned at the Gisborne works. After further discussion it was decided, on the motion of Mr Lomax, seconded by Mr Brown : That a provisional directorate of not less than seven be formed. All the members in the room agreed to allow their names to go on the directorate, and Mr J. CCooper was appointed chairman, and Mr J. Milne (Mastertou) secretary. The name chosen was the Wellington Farmers’ Meat Freezing Company, Ltd. The shares were fixed at £5 each. The following committee was appointed to draw up prospectus, etc.: —Messrs Cooper, Quirke, and Lomax.