WEST COAST MEAT FREEZING.

Patea Mail, 29 September 1882, Page 3

WEST COAST MEAT FREEZING.

WANGANUI AND WELLINGTON COMPANIES. An able and comprehensive report on the conditions of starting meat freezing works on this Coast has been drawn up by Mr F, R, Jackson, as the result of his inquiries at Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. This report was read at a meeting held at Mr Jackson’s office, Wanganui, on Wednesday, to promote a Refrigerating Company, Mr Jackson presiding. The substance of his report was as follows:

In passing through Wellington I met some gentlemen connected with the Meat Freezing Company of that town, and learnt that an offer had been made by Shaw, Savil! and Company to fit up three vessels with refrigerating machinery, providing export would guarantee one cargo each per year for three years, at a freight of 2£d per lb. This the company Seclined, on the ground that, with the prospect of direct steam communication with England, and a possible reduction in the rate of freight, it would be unwise to commit themselves. Up to the present time the Wellington company have made no arrangements for erecting shore works. The erection of these appliances seems to me essential to the working of any refrigerating company. At Burnside, in Dunedin, the shore works have been working satisfactorily, and have enabled that company to make arrangements for the export of large quantities of mutton. In Christchurch the works are being pushed on with all possible speed. The company has now landed its machinery, tenders are accepted for tbe erection of the works, and they hope to load two vessels this season. The Wellington company have arranged for one ship to load in February, the vessel to freeze the sheep on board. This will be the extent of their operation for this season. The N.Z. Shipping Company have made arrangements to load two vessels in Dunedin, two at Lyttelton, one at the Bluff, and one at Napier. In addition to this, the Dunedin company have loaded the s.s. Masada, delivering the sheep f.o.b. for 2£d per lb, and have agreed to supply another cargo of nine thousand carcases alongside the steamer at 2fd per lb. We may, therefore, reasonably expect that at least 50,000 sheep will leave New Zealand during 1883. The results of the Dunedin company have, so far, been most satisfactory. The cargo ex Dunedin was delivered in firstrate order, and sold well, at an average of nearly 7d per lb, and was, I have no doubt, retailed to consumers at full English rates’. I was kindly furnished with a copy of the account sales of 349 sheep sold in London, ex Dunedin, by a private contract, the price varying from 3s 8d to 4s 4d per stone of 81 bs, the gross return being £753 8s Bd, or-43s per head, or 6.14 d per lb. The freight and all other charges both here and in London amounted to 3.20 d. The result was as follows : Gross proceeds per lb ... 6T4d Skins sold here ... ... ‘2sd 6 39d Charges 3 - 20 d Net proceeds per lb ... 3T9d or 22s 9d per head for sheep killed in March. I believe I am under the mark, when I say 30,000 sheep have been boiled down annually in this district, for some years past.. A large number of such stock would be jit. for freezing, though the old ewes would still be consigned to the “ pot ” being unsuitable for the London market. I feel certain that when the works are in full operation, we shall export annually 40,000 sheep, • after supplying our local requirements. This being the case, it behoves us to adopt the cheapest and best method of exporting our surplus meat. There are three plans. One is to load a ship off the mouth of the river by means of lighters : the second is driving overland, or shipping the animals alive by steamer to Wellington, there to be frozen and shipped : the third plan is to fit up a steamer with refrigerating machinery, and cool chamber ; and convey the frozen meat direct to the English ship in Wellington. The third plan appears to my mind the only feasible one. I find that a steamer to carry 1000 carcases, and fitted up with the necessary machinery sufficient to keep the cargo frozen, and, at tho same time, suitable for the passengers and carrying trade of the port, can be built on a draught of water that will enable her to come into and up tho river at neap tides and

high water. The cost of canning sheep will not exceed from Is 6d to 2s per head. My idea is then that a company to be called the “Wanganui Refrigerating Company,” with a capital of £20,000, in 2000 shares of £lO each, be formed, and judging from what has been done elsewhere, it will not he necessary to call up all the capital. I find in Dunedin the cost of the works excluding land and railway aiding was £9IOO. This was made up by cost of machinery, £3500; buildings, £5600 ; total, £9IOO. This building admits of storage room for 4000 sheep. I was led to believe that buildings suitable for our trade could be erected for the. sum of £3OOO. The cost of machinery would bo about the same as at Dunedin, say £3500. Any further expenditure would be for land and railway siding, supposing it were found necessary. As regards the steamer, I propose that the Refrigerating Company should take an interest, say £2OOO or £3OOO, in one suitable for the trade.

The machinery requires a large and regular water supply amounting to from 2000 to 3000 gallons per hour. After the water has passed through the machine, it is available for the slaughter-house, which is erected within 50 yards of the main building. With these objects in view it appears that a suitable site may be found between the present wharf and the Heads, where the steamer can load direct from the storage room, and the water supply unlimited. The disposal of the offal is also a consideration. At Burnside it is removed daily, the skins by the fellmonger, tbe tongues and kidneys by the butchers at Is 6d and 4d per dozen respectively. The tallow is sold by auction at the weekly market. Some such arrangement could be made here without difficulty. The cost of freezing say 1800 sheep per week is as follows ; 6 butchers at 10s per day £lB 0 0 6 laborers at 40s per week 12 0 0 4 boys, at 15s ... ... 3 0 0 ■ Clerk 2 0 0 Manager ... ... ... 6 0 0 Chief engineer ... ... 4 0 0 Second engineer ... ... 3 5 0 3 firemen at 50s ... ... 7 10 0

£55 15 0 3 tons coal per day at 30s 31 10 0 Oil and sundries ... ... 2 0 0 1000 sacks at 7d ... ... 62 10 0 £l4l 15 0 The time occupied in freezing 300 sheep is about 24 honrs. The Dunedin company charge one half-penny per lb for freeezing and killing, retaining themselves the offal, but not the skins. This, they calculate, leaves one-third profit. So far they have only frozen sheep the property of the shareholders, but both the Dunedin and Christchurch companies reserve the right of purchasing sheep, and shipping on the company’s acoonnt. They are bound to reserve this right, because all arrangements for the charter of English ships must necessarily rest with them. Hence it is possible that they might have to go to the local market to fill up their ships. The freight so far has been 2£d per lb. This, I have no doubt, appears very high, but you must take into consideration not only the fitting up of the ships and the room occupied by the carcases, but also the extent of tonnage required for machinery and coals. The establishing of freezing works will also give a great impetus to the export of butter. The market is practically unlimited at a price that will leave the producer something like Is per lb.

WELLINGTON COMPANY. Mr Abbot, who had just returned from Wellington, stated what the company in that town had done. Mr Charles Pharazyn, one of the directors, had been at Home, and had written out advising them to await the results of other shipments from New Zealand. The services of the Lady Jocelyn and another vessel had been accepted, and the company had urged upon the Government the necessity of steam communication direct between Wellington and the Home country. The company would in that case have stores at Wellington such as are at Dunedin, and would be in a position to despatch monthly shipments without fear of demurrage. The West Coast represented but a small part of the Wellington Meat Company, contributing not a fourth of the shareholders. The Wairarapa people, in fact, did not at present know what confidence could be reposed in the West Coast, There had been little injury in delay, and as the trade seemed now firmly established, the company could set to work and do it in the most practical manner. Ho admitted that Wellington could do nothing without the assistance of the West Coast,

so that probably it would be best to establish in Wanganui an association as a branch of the Wellington company. Although this coast was rioted for fattening cattle, it did not do so in quantities as in the south or in Hawke’s Bay. Whatever decision the meeting might come to, it would always be necessary to use the Wellington company as agents.

Mr Watt, M.H.R., said the best thing for this coast would be the establishment of meat salting.

WANGANUI COMPANY PROPOSED. Mr Poison moved that a Wanganui Refrigerating Company be formed, with a capital of £20,000, in £lO shares. In Otago 20,000 sheep had gone out of the market, yet the price had not been raised tho tenth part of a farthing. Twopence to 2£d per lb was the price still for the mutton in wool, the skins being worth from 5s to 6s each. But settlers could obtain 7s per head more for tlie sheep from tho Refrigerating Company than in the open market, because the company only bought stock from their shareholders. Mr Notman seconded the motion, which was adopted without dissent. A provisional directory was appointed as follows :—Messrs F. R. Jackson, Sargeant, W. T. Owen, D. Fraser, W. H. Watt, C. Durie, Notman, Greig, Poison, Lomax, G. P. Robertson, and Abbot, with power to add to their number.