FREEZING CHARGES.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 55, 6 November 1924, Page 4

FREEZING CHARGES.

THAT PROPRIETARY OFFER. Resolutions of Protest. The decision of the Auckland Provincial Dairy Companies’ Association to welcome the offer of the Westfield Freezing- Company to provide storage space for butter and cheese was tho subject of a great deal of criticism at a meeting of suppliers’ committees of the New Zealand Co-operative DairyCompany held at Morrinsville on Tuesday. Mr. A. J. Sinclair (general manager) stated that the Auckland Provincial Dairy Companies’ Association had welcomed the efforts of the Westfield Company but he had been glad to see that Mr. J. B. Thomas had replied in the Morrinsville Star, and from this Mr. Sinclair read extracts. He urged the passing of a resolution resenting the interference from proprietary concerns in that branch of the industry and that a telegram be sent to the Minister stating that in the opinion of the meeting the present facilities were quite adequate and that as an extra grading license would be required it would mean a duplicating of staffs and an extra expense and that the meeting did not consider it advisable that an extra grading license should be granted. Mr. Dynes Fulton (chairman of directors of the New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company) said that although they might favour the Westfield Company’s proposal the Westleld works would not be well situated for the purposes of storing daii*y produce. The shipments from North Auckland would have to be unloaded from steamers and trained to Westfield, then later returned to the steamer. Also on the other hand the South Auckland produce would have to be given extra handling in coming from the Westfield works. Recently the Farmers’ Freezing Company had not been in a very sound financial position and an appeal to the dairy companies to take up shares was well supported, it being considered that it was necessary to keep the farmers’ works open. Most dairy companies, including the New Zealand Co-opera-tive Dairy Company, had taken up a number of shares. It would be disastrous if the Government registered a grading depot at Westfield. In five years the Westfield Company would be able to bear down the Farmers’ Company, and what would happen, he asked, to those who came after. The coming generation would have a very poor opinion of the foresight of their fathers.

Mr. H. J. Valin tine: Where do the proprietary companies send their butter ?

Mr. Fulton said the proprietary companies’ produce was sent to the Farmers’ Company’s stores, which were the only ones in the Auckland province. If the Westfield Company obtained the desired concession it was hard to say what it would do. It might reduce the freezing rate for the time being down to 50 per cent, of the present rate but this would merely be to get in the thin edge of the wedge. It was astonishing to anyone knowing anything of dairying to see the action of the Auckland Provincial Dairy Companies’ Association. There was sufficient space at the farmers’ works for storage. Had it not been for the services rendered by the Farmers’ Freezing Company during the time of the 1913 strike the farmers might not have got their produce away. The chief engineer of the company had given great service and was termed by Mr. Fulton as the “ man at the helm.” He wondered what would happen if there was another industrial strikd—would the Westfield Company help in the same manner as did the Farmers’ Company in 1913? Mr. Sinclair suggested a motion that the meeting strongly urge upon all co-operative dairy companies in the Auckland province to support the Farmers’ Freezing Company for the chilling of produce and that the Government be requested not to grant any more grading licenses in the Auckland province. Mr. Thomas, in agreeing to move such a motion, said the fact that the whole of the produce was now going to the one works would make it more economical and would prevent a duplication of staffing. From a farmer’s point of view the granting of another permit would be disastrous. Mr. P. C. Balme seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. RESOLUTION AT WAITOA. At a meeting at Waitoa on Wednesday the matter of freezing charges was also mentioned and the position explained by Messrs. Sinclair and Fulton. Mr. F. M. Strange expressed himself as being keenly opposed to any further freezing stores being gazetted. Three or four years ago the farmers had been faced with a very

serious position when there was a threat of being unable to get the produce out of the country and the Farmers’ Freezing Company did not have facilities to add to the stores. The Freezing Company made an appeal to the dairy companies and the co-operative companies at any rate agreed to help the Freezing Company out by taking up shares. This saved the position for the dairy farmers. The Freezing Company had helped them over the bad times and now they were going to kick the Freezing Company away. He moved that the meeting was not in favour of granting any further licenses for gradingstores at the port of Auckland. Mr. Horne seconded the motion. Mr. Hallett said he agreed that as the Farmers’ Freezing Company was a true co-operative concern and had ample space for storage for some time to come the farmers should give it their whole-hearted support. The motion was carried unanimously.