The Opunake Times TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1895. FREEZING STOCK.

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 88, 7 May 1895, Page 2

The Opunake Times TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1895. FREEZING STOCK.

On Tuesday last Mr W. J. Caverhill visited Opunake to interview settlers in the interests of the Waitara freezing works. As a good deal of controversy has been taking place of late as to the best place for such works— Waitara or Moturoa —we interviewed him, with a view to placing reliable information before our readers. The proposal which Mr Caverhill is laying before settlers is the advisability of forming a limited liability company in £1 shares, 5s to be paid on application, 5s on allotment, and the balance in 2s 6d calls per month as required, to purchase the present works, and work the freezing business on cooperative principles. The works originally cost £28,000, but have fallen into the hands of the Loan and Mercantile, which office Mr Caverhill represents. The price put on the works is £4500, but as they are a totally unproductive asset, and do not increase in value while lying unused, there is every probability that an offer for something less than this would be accepted. There is then apparently ho question but that they would be a bargain if procured. He states that they are in a fair state of preservation, and that a maximum expenditure of £3OO would put them in running order. If, they were bought, they would really not be in opposition to the proposed works at Moturoa, as we were assured, some few weeks back,‘by Mr Bewley, that it was not contemplated at present to freeze stock at Moturoa, these latter works being mainly for dealing with produce. The only question of opposition that would arise would be if it was found that the Waitara works could offer sufficient accommodation for produce as well as stock. If they did, then it would seem to be unnecessary to invest money in new works, if those already erected, and which can be had at such a bargain, will answer the double purpose. It would then only be the question of local jealousy between New Plymouth and Waitara, but the settlers are not very much concerned in this, and are not likely to plank down their capital merely to enable either place to gratify its ideas of sentiment.

The question of first importance, should the Waitara works be purchased, is—What is the probability of their being used ? The main object for which settlers would subscribe capital would be to deal with stock. Mr Cavcrhill informs us that there is no difficulty in effecting a contract with Home buyers to take the output of the works if they were started, and the lowest offer he has had from London buyers is an average of per lb for “ hinds ” and “ fores.!’ In order to show how this would work out, we got him to calculate the net value of a bullock weighing 800 lbs, which we give— Proceeds.

From this it will be seen that the net value of an 8001 b bullock would be £Q 12s. The question then is—Will this price pay the grazier ? It will be seen that it is Ifis fid per lOOlbs, or nearly 2d per lb, clear of all expenses, We do not think it would warrant the absurdly high price of young stock which ruled the market a couple of years back, but we are satisfied it will pay to roar young stock at a much more moderate price. The ultimate price of beef must be the ruling factor in fixing the price pf stock at the intermediate stages, and we belfeye a profitable use could be made of land so long Ids fid per lOOlbs could lie

relied on when the bullocks were matured.

At Stratford and Eltkam the settler i are taking up the Waitara project spiritedly, and have subscribed a considerable amount of the capital required to carry out the Waitara Scheme. Hawera and the Plains have also shown their preference for the Waitara scheme by nearly all the leading settlers taking up shares. It would be principally from the Plains and Hawera district that the fat stock would be supplied, and therefore whichever scheme gains their support is sure to be the one which will be successful in working.

Before leaving the subject, we might point out one weakness in the Moturoa onu, which is, fixing the shares at £5, when the promoters are so thoroughly confident that £2 10s per share is all that is necessary to carry out the project. Under the present proposed directory, they might not exceeds this amount, but should a fresh directory get control of the affairs of the Company, there is no guarantee that the balance will not be called up. In fact, the only safety is to have the face value of the share the amount which is considered necessary, and let it he understood that the full amount will be called, in which case subscribers know exactly what their liability will be, and can provide accordingly.

Anything which would tend to strengthen the interests of. the dairy industry should get the hearty support of settlers in the district, most of whpm are so deeply interested in it. Having a port of shipment in Taranaki should be beneficial to them, and is therefore very desirable, but whether that port were at Moturoa or Waitara would not make any difference to the great majority of milk-suppliers, who would be expected to be the principal subscribers of shares, and thereby provide the wherewithal to run the works. We do not think, however, that freezing chambers for produce at either Moturoa or Waitara* is the most urgent requirement to make the dairy industry successful. What it wants is freezing or cooling chambers much nearer to the cows. It is, in the opinion of competent judges, an impossibility to turn out a first-class article when the manufacture is carried on in every individual factory, without any but the crudest appliances. If a good article is to be produced, a different system will need to be inaugurated by which centres will be established where a cool chamber can be provided for the manufacture and interim storage, and the surrounding factories be worked as creameries. Then the greatest supervision will need to be exercised right back to the dairy, when we may expect to see an article turned out which will hold its own, on its merits, in any market in which it may be offered.

Tenders are invited by the Opunake Town Board for channelling. Mr Newton King sells stock at Bahotu tomorrow.

Dr Pairman will visit Opunake to-morrow, when public vaccination takes place.

Mr W. D. Scott notifies additional entries for his Opunake stock sale on Friday.

Specifications for contract for breakwater Bretention,8 retention, for which tenders are to be in by fonday next, may be seen at this office.

v The Taranaki Acclimatisation Society publish a list of the names of those who have taken out licenses for the shooting season.

Mr W. D. Scott notifies entries for his Awatuna stock sale, which takes place on Monday next.

The first of the dance assemblies at Bahotu takes place on Friday evening. During the post winter these assemblies proved very enjoyable, and we have no doubt they will be well attended this coming winter. The following is the result of the Okato Koad Boarl election C. Sole, 29 votes; A. Gray, 25 ; vV. Andrews, 23 ; J. Carey, 15 ; T. Swayzland, 18; P. Ashley, 11; C. Andrews, 11; J. O’Connor, 10. We are requested to intimate that the Venerable Ircbdeacon Fancourt will preach at Opunake next Sunday evening at 7 o’clock. After the service is over a meeting ol the parishioners will beheld.'

Mr B. “Smith, of fhe Pioneer Nurseryi Mauaia, has a notice in this issue of interest to those about to plant during the coming season. Mr Smith has been unable to come to terms with the Public Trustee over his lease, and has therefore decided on retiring from the nursery business, so that everything will be cleared out on most favorable terms.

The programme for the Wesleyan social to be held in the Town Hall to-morrow evening appears in this issue. A number of performers new to an Opunake audience are contributing items, so that it promises to bo one of the greatest successes yet placed before a local audience. The charges for admission are extremely reasonable, and should produce a full house. The following team has been selected by the committee to represent the Ake Ake Football Club in a friendly match against Eaitake, on Saturday, 11th instant, on the latterls ground:—Fall-back, Horne; three, quartern. Webb, Simeon, and Whittington; halves, Jonas, West, and Hill; forwards, A. Lusk, B. Malcolm, J. Young, T. Bradley, H. Young, Oxenham, J. Williams, Luxton; emergencies, Wehi and J. Malcolm. A meeting was to be held yesterday evening at Awatuna to consider the advisability of forming a new Road Board for tha bush division of the Waimate Road District. Wo think it would be better to defer any such action until the new valuation is made, when a more definite and equitable line of division could be formed. It is a matter requiring serious consideration before definite steps are undertaken to give effect to it, otherwise it may only end in chaos, On Monday, at the residence of Mr G. Thomas, Eltham Road, Mr F. Tindle, of the Kiri Road, was united in the bonds of matrimony to Miss Mason, of the Eltham Road., Miss Mason’s sister was bridesmaid, and Mr W, Watson wag best maq on the occasion. The Rey Mr Oannell officiated. A large party of the friends of both bride and "bridegroom assembled, and partook of a very sumptuous breakfast. We join with their friends in wishing them every happiness. We give a reminder of the visit of Mr Win. MacKenzie, the celebrated Scotch vocalist, with bis talented company, ou Friday night next, at Opunake. He has drawn crowded houses at all tbo townships along the coast, who have been thoroughly delighted with his rendering of ! he old Scotch songs, as well as other national songs. He has a very strong company wit i him, and a rare treat is promised the pu die, who should not miss this opportunity of hearing them. It is not very Often that retlly first-class artists visit towns off the Nfilway Un®3. bill special Induce? jnents baying beep offered him to come he decided on doiot? so.

£ e. d. 8001bs beef, at 8Jd 10 16 8 Bullock hide 0 15 0 Inside fat—say 401b, at l£d 0 6 0 Tongue 0 1 6 £11 16 2 Charges, Freezing, fd per lb 8001bs 1 5 0 Insurance, £d ,, ,, 0 8 4 Freight, |d „ 2 18 4 Sundries, £d „ ,, 0 8 4 Lighterage 1-lCd „ Driving from farm to WaL 0 4 2 tara (say) 0 2 0 £5 G 2 Net balance £6 12 0