FREEZING WORKS EXPANSION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26633, 2 December 1947, Page 6

FREEZING WORKS EXPANSION

Increased Killing Capacity At Burnside

OLDEST COMPANY IN DOMINION

To cope with the increasing production of the province, the Burnside works of the New Zealand Refrigerating Company, Ltd., are being steadily expanded and their killing and storage capacity substantially increased. Since 1928 the killing capacity of the works has been gradually expanded from 3000 lambs a day to last year’s, tally of 7000 a day, and present alterations should brin'g the total to 8000 a day. This is by no means the limit of expansion, for it is expected that in a few years’ time the daily tally will be 10,000. The latest additions shown in the above photograph are a new slaughterhouse on ground level (left) arid an extension of the manure and tallow department. Part of the up-to-date yards, capable of holding 7000 sheep, is shown in the foreground.

In 20 years a semi-circle of large concrete buildings has been added to the Burnside Works, which have the distinction of being the first of their kind in the Dominion, and the second in the world. To the southern arc of the semi-circle substantial additions are being made. These new buildings comprise a new slaughter-house and extensions to the manure and tallow department. New Slaughtering Methods

At present the system of slaughtering sheep at Burnside is to drive them up a long ramp to the slaughter-house. The new building will make it possible for the sheep to be slaughtered at ground level and the carcasses conveyed up the ramp mechanically. The principal advantage of this move will be that the daily tallies will be increased. Additional digesters and driers will be installed in the new manure and tallow building to handle the immediate increase in capacity. The storage capacity of the Burnside works is approximately 500,000 running carcasses, including the storage of all by-products. The turnover for the year is from 600,000 to 700,000 carcasses. The management is looking forward to the provision of additional storage, and with this and further adjustments in the existing equipment it feels con-

fident of meeting any increased production of stock. Great Increase in Killings As an indication of the way the Burnside works have expanded in the past 20 years, the manager, Mr K. Clark, stated yesterday that in 1926 the combined annual tallies of the Burnside, Finegand, Mataura. Makarewa and Ocean Beach freezing works amounted to 654,000 carcasses. The total in 1945 had risen to 3,290.000, and Burnside in that year killed as many sheep as all five works had killed in 1926.

Not only ha've new buildings, equipment and boilers been brought into use in recent years at Burnside, but the yards have been extended and improved. They are concreted throughout, and provision is made for the roofing of, the whole area as soon as building restrictions are relaxed. A total of 7000 sheep can be penned in the yards and work is proceeding in leyelling another area for the provision of further yards. While great improvements had been effected in buildings and equipment, Mr Clark said yesterday that the labour position had been a difficult one in past, years, and at times all the existing facilities could not be fully used. It was hoped, however, that the labour situation would show an improvement this season and in subsequent years. •