GEAR MEAT COMPANY.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1074, 17 August 1883, Page 2

GEAR MEAT COMPANY.

A mooting of shareholders in the Company was hold at Wellington on Monday. In reply to a question from Dr Newman concerning the country trade, the Chairman said that directors had given a great amount of attention to the host means of developing the frozen meat industry. Deputations had conic from Pa to a and Blenheim to see them respecting the establishment of works in their respective districts, and had offered to provide a large portion of the necessary capital to do this. While the Directors desired to assist the out-districts in their efforts to find a market for their stock .the difficulty was in the coastal transit, Live stock could be conveyed at present by rail, steamer, and road from those districts, but until the local steamers were provided with the necessary refrigerating chambers for the conveyance of carcases, it was, in his opinion, useless for these districts to expend capital in putting up slaughtering yards and freezing plant on shore, for in many cases it would be impossible to get the carcases away to the homeward-bound vessels, The Union Steamship Company had been interviewed as to when it was likely they would be in a position to supply steamers for tho coastal trade

with refrigerating mj >pnratns, but they conM give no definite answer on tin; snl j 'ct, and it seemed clear that fully eighlcen months would elapse before any steamer could bo built for the purpose. The Directors could provide largo s'or-go accommodation on board their hulk, and assist these districts in giving them all the spare space available; but those requiring the accommodation must be prepared to pay for the same on a fair business fooling. The Directors had arranged for the most complete and perfect plant obtainable for freezing purposes, and nothing would be left undone on their part to show their country friends that they could ship their frozen produce to greater advantage from the port of Wellington than from any other port in the colony. As an evidence of their anxiety to assist their country shareholders, lie might mention that, with a view to relieve several shareholders in the Hawera District of surplus stock, application had been made to the Railway Department to run cattle-trains at night from Manntalii to Foxton. Mr Gear had informed him that, if the railway provided cattle trucks fitted to carry stock without bruising, it would be advantageous to truck all stock from beyond Wanganui, and, if met in this matter, the Company would be able to buy stock largely about Patea and Hawera.