Freezing Works.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 95, 15 April 1914, Page 5

Freezing Works.

NEW TARANAKI VENTURE. A COMPANY TO BE FORMED. There was a large meeting of farmers iu the Borough Council Chambers yesterday afternoon to consider a proposal to erect freezing works at some suitable place to serve the whole of Taranaki. Those present were representative of the whole of the province. Mr Joseph McCluggage, convenor of the meeting, was voted to the chair. The Convenor’s Speech. Mr McCluggage, in opening the meeting, said that Mr McCutchan, one of the biggest farmers on the East Bead, had always contended that when the railway was opened as far as Whangamomona, and New Plymouth was visited by ocean liners, it would be high time to erect freezing works. That meeting had been called largely through Mr McGutchan’s influence. The railway was now open to Whangamomona and next year ocean liners would be able to berth at New Plymouth. Some settlers blamed the Harbor Board for the fact that big steamers were not yet berthed at New Plymouth, but the real blame lay with the shipping companies, who had said that ocean liners would berth at the port when there was a depth of 29ft at low water, but they now demanded that the depth be 33ft and that the basin be widened. This would he done next year. Farmers had owned their own butter factories and were now being educated up to the advantages of owning their own freezing works. He quoted figures from the published bal-ance-sheet of a proprietary company, showing that although there was a slaughtering strike in New Zealand and a dockers’ strike at London the company last year paid a dividend of 10 per cent, appropriated £40,000 to writing off and reserve, and carried forward £13,000. Farmers must have received much less than the value of their cattle to enable the company to make such a profit. If the farmers had owned the works they could have paid a dividend of 10 per cent to nonsuppliers-, used £40,000 for a bonus to suppliers, written off £IO,OOO, and carried forward £3OOO. Ho had written to the Railway Department, who stated that the railage on meat from Stratford to Moturoa would be 11s per ton, and from Lepperton 4s per ton, to ; which had to be added two shillings wharfage. At Tokomaru Bay, where there were freezing works, the lighterage on meat was one-seven-teenth of a penny plus ton per cent, so that it would be much cheaper to rail meat to the wharf at Moturoa than to lighter it.

More Information Wanted. Mr W. P. Kirkwood asked if the chairman had any information as to how much stock would be available and how much money wocdd be subscribed. Mr McCluggage said this infoimation was not available, but would be got if that meeting decided to erect the works. Mr W. G. Malone said it should be made very clear that there was no necessity for the works being at or near Stratford. The works should be in that position which would best suit the farmers. Mr McCluggage said he had been discussing the matter with Mr McCutchan for the past seven years, and he was convinced that the works should be as near as possible to Moturoa. But they'could not go right to Moturoa because they could not get the necessary land there. Mr A. Morton (Inglewood) said the question of site should be reported on by an expert. Mr McCluggage said it had to be considered that there would be a lot of business from the Mokau district. Mr Barnitt (Uruti) said it would be better to .have the works at Lepperton or thereabouts, as there was no competition there, while works nearer Stratford would have to compete with the Patea works. Some cattle from the Mokau had to travel seventy miles before reaching Waitara. Mr McCluggage said that if East Road or Eltham farmers had to rail their stock for twenty miles it would not make much difference if they had to rail them forty miles. Mr Barnitt said the works would do well if they catered for the Mokau trade. “The Time has Arrived.”

Mr M. O’Neill, Te Wera, moved that | the time had arrived for the farmers to own and control their own freezing works. Mr McCutchan thought the meeting should go into the question of how many sheep there were in the province and what nercentage of them would annually be available for export. Mr McClnggage said there were 7-19,000 sheep in Taranaki and 150,000 odd beef cattle. The Year Book did not show the export from each province, but the total value of all beef and mutton exported from the country was nearly £4,000,000. 1 Mr Quinn (Eltham) said there were about twenty-four million sheep in the country, of which an eighth were exIported yearly. j Mr McClnggage said he understood the proportion exported was a fourth. 'Tn reply to a question he said there were about three and a quarter million sheep in Hawke’s Bay. i Mr Kirkwood said the success of the scheme depended largely on the farmers themselves—no works would be a success unless the farmers guaranteed to supply stock and took up shares in the company. Mr Griffiths (New Plymouth) said ho behoved there was sufficient stock in the province to justify the erection

of the works. Taranaki was growing quicker than any other province in tho country, and in many other sheep districts new freezing works were being erected. In view of the advanced' state oi the harbor works he thought the time was ripe for another freezing works in Taranaki. The motion was then altered to read “that the time has apparently arrived,” was seconded by Mr Griffiths and carried without dissent. m Experience Elsewhere. Mr Kirkwood moved that a committee be set up to collect data and report to a future meeting. Between Hastings and Napier, a distance of eighteen miles, ,there were three freezing works, and Borthwicks were enlarge ing their works. While there was in Hawke’s Bay. a sufficient call for numerous works, the fact quoted tended to show that they could be planted fairly close together without becoming too numerous. In the Taihape district it was considered that the proposed opening of freezing works would prevent the aggregation of land—the land would be occupied in small holdings and the farmer would still get a belter return for his stock. Mr E. Marfell thought the resolution should go further—the committee should be asked to ascertain what financial support would be forthcoming. He was disappointed with the meeting—there had been no enthusiasm in passing the first resolution. He was also rather disappointed with the speech of the chairman, who should have been able to quote the percentage of the sheep in the province liable to be exported annually. If the annual number was only 100,000 (an eighth of the total) and thej' had works capable of dealing with 7500 a week, th© works would only be employed for about fifteen weeks annually if they dealt with the whole number exported. Personally he thought it would be necessary to slaughter more sheep- than that if the works were to be a success. There was room for another works in Taranaki. He was satisfied that Taranaki people did not get as good prices for their stock as farmers further down the line. If it was shown to him that, the works could be erected with even a moderate chance of success he would give the scheme whatever support ha I could.

Mr Kirkwood agreed to add to his motion that the committee ascertain ■ what support would be forthcoming in capital and stock. Mr McCluggage said that in Nelson there were only 400,000 sheep, but the company had made a profit last year. Plenty of Stock. Mr A. Morton (Inglewood) said they could rest assured that sufficient stock would be offering, Borthwicks could run their works and make them pay and were still unable to deal with all the stock available. What that mectiing wanted to know, was whether farmI - ° ers would support the new company or stick to their connections with existing companies. j Mr J. B. Richards suggested that a committee consisting of Mosers McCluggage, McCutchan. tjuimi, Marfell, E. Hine, A. W. Budge, C. Eayly, Morton, J. S. Connett and E. Walter lie set up, with power to add. to report on the following points : —• The desire for the erection of the works, the capital required, the proliable amount of stock available., suitable sites, the probable financial support, and such other matters as the committee deemed it necessity to report on. There seemed to be a doubt as to bow much stock would be available, but this information; should be procurable from the Department of Commerce. Recently he had been on a visit to the Alnua country, which, as they all knew, was destined to he a very valuable support to the other portions of Taranaki. On that visit the question of freezing works was discussed and was received by the Ohura people with considerable enthusiasm. An Experienced Sheep Man. Air McCutchan said that if there was any lack of enthusiasm in respect of the first resolution there

was good cause for it in the lack or information tendered to the-meeting If the information desired could mu 1 10 o-nt from official statistics it could lu -ver 1.0 gathered from individual farmers. If the* scheme was designed to out out Borthwick’s or Patou he. would, as an individual larmer have nothing to do with it, but d there was soon a to be room lor a third company he would give it cveiy support. When works were started at Waingawa (Wairarapa) the existing companies said the new com..my would never get sufficient stock, b,.t‘ since then the new works had I men enlarged twice. The explanation was that if regular freezing was onarauteed the farmer could turn oil nioro stock. He thought the numher of sheep in the province was nearer 900,000 than the figure given in the Year-Book, and taking a fourth of that, and allowing the existing companies to do the business they were now doing, that would leave 60,000 sheep annually for the

new company, i .Mr Griffiths said a start had to be made somewhere. They might not get thoroughly reliable or complete information from farmers, but a circular letter could bo sent to farmers, asking how many .sheep they had frozen annually and how many they would probably send to the now company. Mi- Malone said it was hardly right A say that the first resolution had been received without enthusiasm the degree of enthusiasm should not ho gnaged by the quantity of talk. He himself had not spoken to the motion. He felt that the proposition was a good one and did not call for much argument. He had had experience in the matter, having had hundreds of fat sheep altogether excluded from the works, or held up for weeks. •

Solid Proposal Wanted. Mr McCutclmn thought that not much would be got from the farmer unless something v.ery solid was put I,afore him. It was necessary to prepare preliminary information from official statistics, and that information should have been laid before that day’s meeting. The farmers would rave to be convinced that the erection of new works was justified before they would commit themselves to support them. He understood that last season Borthwicks and Fatea put through 140,000 sheep, and unless a fourth of the total sheep were fdozen annually he could not see that a now company was justified, me proposed committee should merely be instructed to obtain data to, day before a future meeting, and should not be bound by the meeting as to what it should inquire into. Mr W. H. H, Young, combating the suggestion of. lack of enthusiasm, said there was sufficient enthusiasm to form a company right off. Mr 0, Hawken (Hawera) said that lie had spoken to buyers on the question, and ho was assured that of the 100,000 sheep dealt with last year twothirds came from below the northern boundary of the Hawera County. Mr Malone said the members of the committee would bo men with established farming .and financial, reputations, and jt was hardly, for that meeting to direct the/n as to what inquiries they should make. '1 neV should merely be asked to inquire into such matters as they deemed fit. Mr Kirkwood, said he knew that Mr, McCutclmn was a fanner of experience, and he wpuld not pqt his opinion against his, but he thought the next meeting should know what support was forthcoming. He was quite willing. to alter his motion in the direction suggested by Mr Malone.

Mcrth Taranaki Sheep. Mr Hawken said that last year less than 40,000 sheep from northern Taranaki wore sent to Taranaki freezing works. Mr Marfell said that although previously ho had asked for fuller information he was quite prepared to proceed at once to form a company. He was quite sure that there would he sufficient stock offering. The motion was altered to read that the committee collect such data as they deem necessary, such data to be laid before a further meeting to ho called by the committee. Mr McCiitchan said he was almost positive that the proportion of the total sheep frozen for export was a fourth, and if that wore so there would bo a good margin for the new company. He thought that the meeting should proceed to form a company, and if that were done he was prepared to put money into it on the spot. Ice motion, which was seconded bv Mr Malone, was carried.

Mr MoCutchan then moved that a farmers’ freezing works for the Taranaki province he established. Mr Kirkwood seconded pro forma. While not against the motion he thought more support would he obtained if more definite information were available to lay before farmers. The present meeting. was largely representative of the farmers of the province, but he was sure many townspeople would go into the company. He. himself had not come to the meeting merely to talk—if the scheme was satisfactory he intended to put money into it. Company to be Formed. The motion was altered to read; “That a Taranaki meat freezing eompany he farmed, and in that form was passed. In answer to a question, the Chairman said lie presumed that shareholders would not he confined to farmers—that anybody at all could become a shareholder. The following committee, with pow-

pr to add, was then elected: .Messrs V'i . A. McCutchan, Joseph Met.'luggage, E. Martel!. E. lime, A. W • Badge, C. Bayly, A. Morton (Inglewood), J. S. Connell (Bell Block), It. Walter, Alex. Alexander, W. Birdling • Waitarn), Baniitt (Crnlii, Clias: Young. W, G. Malone. Wright (Kalintu), Newton King, \ . Nolan (Te Wera), K. Grillilhs (New Plymouth). Hugh McLeod (Tahora), Walter Joints (Mokau), S. Death (Inglewood), A. (J. Stewart (Kiore), McKcwcu (I’ihama), W. I’. Kirkwood, W. H. H. Young, Sandison 'Mature), S. Meredith (Ohura), B. Dingle. 11. Cleland (Kaponga), H. Trimble (Inglewood), J. Guinn (EJthain), and J. B. Bichards. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman, moved by Mr J. B. Hint*, M.P. I Meeting of Committee, After the close ol the .meeting the members of the committee met and discussed the matters referred to them and made preliminary arrangements for-procuring information. Mr MeC luggage was elected chairman of the committee.