PRODUCERS' MEAT FREEZING WORKS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 270, 15 April 1914, Page 7

PRODUCERS' MEAT FREEZING WORKS.

A NOTABLE PROJECT. KEPRESENTATIV'E MEETING AT STRATFORD. INITIAL STEPS TAKEN. v In response to the advertisement by Mr. Joseph McCluggage, a large and particularly representative meeting rf farmers and settlers was held at tli2 Borough Council chambers at Stratford yesterday, to discuss the question of establishing a producers' meat freezing ■works in Taranaki. Mr. McCluggage was called to the chair... • In stating the object of the meeting, the chairman gave Mr. McCutehan f '.e whole of the credit for initiating the movement. He said it had long been understood that when the railway reached Whangamomona and the New Plymouth harbor was ready to receive the Home vessels, a fdrmers'-owned meat freezing works should be initiated. Some of the farmers iliad blamed the Harbor Board for the delay, hilt it was the shipping companies who were to blame, as they had considerably enlarged their requirements in the direction of deeper water and a wider basin for the reception of Home vessels. By the spring of nest year these requirements would; be provided. The d-rect shipment of good® to and from tne harbor at Moturoa would' be an .enormous boon to the settlers and save them thousands of pounds. . Jie then, by way of illustration, read to ,the meeting the financial results ofi several proprietary freezing companies, pointing out the greit loss sustained by the producers in not having works of their own and thus securing the profits which weTe being made by those companies. In one ca»e referred to, the dividend paid was eleven per cent., £14,000 being written off, and £13,000 carried forward. These large sums would ihave-provided the producers with a very welcome addition to the price received for their stock. The question of site would be a factor in the cost of railage of stock, and he expressed the opinion that as a large portion of supplies would most probably come from the Mokau and Awakino districts, Lepperton would: probably be found a convenient place for the worts. The railage from Stratford to Lepperton was 4s per ton. The chairman also gave some information relative to lightering cliargges at Waitara for frozen, meat, wotfl etc., but added that it would probably be found far cheaper to rail the produce to Moturoa. After stating that he had hoped to obtain fuller information tcf lay before the meeting, but had been unable to do so, he offered to answer anv questions that 'he could. In reply to-a question as to how much produce and what amount of capital was required, Mr. W. CI. Mai one remarked he took it that it was not for Strat-' ford but for Taranaki that the woi'Ks were required. The chairman mentioned that the works should be as near Moturoa as possible, but .probably the best place would be Lepperton. itir. A. Morton suggested that on the question of site they would guided by expert advice. The chairman: Not necessarily. It would depend on the source of the chief supplies. He expected a 'arge quantity from the Mokau district. * This was confirmed by a fanner from that district who said they had to bring their stock 00 or 70 miles, and as there was no competition they were at a great disadvantage, lie strongly advocated the site being Sentry Hill. Mr. Jackson considered that the farmers of Southern Taranaki should also be considered ill relation to the site. The chairman: The people on the other side of the mountain should also be considered. Mr. O'Neill said the first question to be decided was whether a producers' freezing works should be provided or not. He moved: That in the opinion of the meeting the time has arrived 1 for tiie farmers to own and control their own meat freezing works. Some discu!->ion then ensued as 10 the probable number of cattle and sheep available, but while, the Year Book gave the number of cattle as 150,000 it only stated the value of the sheep. A farmer stated that there were about 24 million sheep in the Dominon, and that about one eighth of the number were frozen for export. -Mr. Kirkwood suggested altering the motion to read: "It is desirable for the farmers to own" etc. If, he said, the larmers were not prepared 1 to support the works there was an end of' the matter, but if we proposal was approved then; tliey should get guarantees of stock and capital, so as to know the exact position in which the proposal stood. Mr. E. Griffiths l thought .the motion meant that the time appears to have arrived. He considered there was nlenty of beef and mutton available to justify the erection of a farmers' freezing works. Hastings had two .freezing works, but the farmers there weTe getting one of their own,/ and other places were doing likewise. It the motion were altered he would second it. Tile chairman considered Ma\ Griffiths' suggestion a good one, and the- mover consented to the suggested alteration.. Tlie motion was then carried ly--Mr. Kirkwood then moved that a committee he set up to collect data 'o lie placed before a future meeting, lie pointed out that between Hastings and Napitsr (14 miles) there were three freezing works, which showed that there was room for that number. He referred to the proposed works at Tnihape. one of the chief benefits of .which was considered to be that they would -top the aggregation of land that was going on in that district. Mr. .Marfell, m seconding the motion, said he wodhl like the committee to ascertain • what financial support was available, as without that support it was useless to proceed. He would like to know tlie number of siieep available. The chairman considered the information could easily be obtained. Mr. Marfell: if only one eighth of the total was exported it was not a large order. There was already u freezing works in the district capable ot dealing with the whole output. He would like to see tlie committee consist mostly of farmers with some, commercial men auded. He .was quite satisfied the Taranaki farmers were not 'netting the prices which were obta'md elsewhere. Mr. Kirkwood said he would gladly add to his motion "and to ascertain what support would he given in the district to supplies and lina.-icialh •" Mr. .Morton tendered t'l? adlitem to the motion was imst irnp"v:nnt If Bortluvick's were able to successfully fun theif works, ant! Nt the present time were unable to deal with supplies, it showed tl tre was room for the woposed producers' works. The question was, whether tne farmers would support their own works. There was not the slightest doubt as to there being room for freezing works owned bv the producers. Mr. liichards suggested a number of names for service oil the committee and: gave .4is views as to the scope of the inquiries to be undertaken by the committee. He stated that on a re-

cent visit to tlie Ohura the project hat teen received with enthusiasm. Mr. Kirkwood favored tlie committer being nominated singly instead of ci bloc.

Mr. McCutehan doubted whether tlie committee would get the information tkat was sought for. He was satisfied there was room for another freezing works. When, he said, the Waingawa works were started it was prophesied they would be a failure. The chairman: They are being enlarged now. Mr. McCutehan, continuing, said that when sheep were ready they must be dealt with or they would go off. He was not in sympathy with the motion, i as he considered there should be ample : stock to supply the farmers' works as well as Borthwick's. . . Mr. Griffiths considered they must start somewhere. If the farmers' works .were started the question was: Would they pay? The committee might circularise the farmers asking for information as to the number of sjieep and cattle they were likely to have, and whether they would supply tile farmers' works.. The 1 information would, of course, be confidential Mr. Malone pointed out tliat Mr. Mc-Cutelii-i spike with the authority oi long experience in farming matters, and his opinion had much weight. Several other speakers iavored information being obtained. Mr. McOutchan contended that the cimmittee could only get the desired -information from statistics, as, the farmers would not give, nor would they promise supplies, but from ,what he had heard, the proposal would lie taken up. Ha en.sidered the information referred to Should have been placed before the meeting. What the settlers wanted to know was whether tlicre was sufficient stock available in the 'district Ifor the slipport of the proposed freezing works. He had always understood that 2.> per cent., of the total stock in the Dominion was sent to the freezing works, and he thought the best way was to take the average throughout tlie Dominion. Mr. i oung considered that sufficient enthusiasm had been shown at the meeting to justify a company being then land there formed, but it was advisable to obtain j further ; informtitisiin. Fully half the stock raised in Taranaki was taken to Wanganui. He could see no harm in setting up the committee. Mr. Hawken said that of 100,000 sheep dealt with >by Borthwick's last year fully two thirds came from south Of the boundary line of tlie Hawera county. Mr. Malone suggested that the motion should be altered to read —"That the committee take such steps as they consider advisable." That would give them a free hand. Mr. Kirkwood was willing to adopt the suggestion. He was not putting his views against those of such a practical farmer as Mr. McCutehan, but he considered it very advisable to ascertain what support might be expected, so as to have some guide as to what capital would be required—4o,ooo shares or 100,000. Mr, Hawken stated there were less than 40,000 sheep last year fiom North Taranaki, and about 20,000 cattle between the two companies. Mr. Jlarfell offered that sooner than his motion should be regarded Sis a hindrance lie would drop it, though he felt the necessity of obtaining all possible information. The motion was then altered to read— j "That a committee .be set up to collect data and such information as they deem , necessary." Mr. McCutehan considered that the 1 statement that 25 per cent, of the sheep J in the Dominion were sent to the freez- , ing works made him quite ready to go on with the proposal at once." (Applause). lie did not consider that they ' need bother about the matter of sift)- ! i» oi ;t. ' The motion was carried unanimously. Mr. .McCutehan moved—"That the set- ? tiers go on with the establishment of 1 a Taranaki meat freezing works." Mr. Kirkwood, in seconding the mo- J. tiou. considered that if the information : collected wene favorable, then the towns- * people would'come in. He was quite * prepared to do so. After some discussion as to the name •, of the venture, the motion was carried. The following wore then appointed to the committee, with power to add to t their number:—Messrs W. A. McCut- * chan, J. 15. liichards. J. MeCluggiige, C. * Bayly, A. Alexander, \V. Birtlling, liar- ' nett, E. Iline, A. Morton. E. Walter, S. Mnbin, C. Young, W. fl. -Malone. W. 1!. ' Wright (ltahotu), Marfell, Newton King, s N. Nolan, E. Griffiths, Walter Jones l] (Mokau). S. Death. J. Connctt. junr., 11 A. G. Stewart, A. Meredith. W. I'. Kirk- !■ wood, A. W. Budge. A. McKeown (Pillama), W. 11. Young, Sanderson (Ma- v tiere), S. Meredith (Ohurn). 11. Cleland s (Kaponga), R. Dingle, 11. Trimble and .T. Quinii (Kltham). 5 It was decided that the quorum be 1 six. t

A hearty vote of thanks to the chairman terminated a meeting that is likely to result in a great benefit to tlie district. Immediately after the meeting the committee met and discussed the matters referred to them, making preliminary arrangements for the enquiries asked for. Mr. McCluggage was appointed chairman of the committee.