A GREAT BUSINESS

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1920, Page 5

A GREAT BUSINESS

HOW IT HAS EXPANDED. NEWTON KING AND TARANAKI. What are the most prominent features of Taranaki? "Mount Egmont and Newton King," nine out of ten will readily answer. The reasou is Mat the Business of Mr. Newton King has developed with the province of Taranaki until it has.reached proportions greater perhaps than any other single proprietary' business in the Dominion, as may be judged from the fact that the turnover is now nearly two and a half mill' oll9 istcrling a year. ,It is a wonderful ach- ; lavement, an i index of the progress of this rich province as well as a tribute to the organising power, business acumen and enterprise of Mr,- Newton King. The business has indeed grown beyond the ability of one mail to handle, even for one who has the resource and capacity of Mr. King, and it is not surprising that he is forming the business Into a limited company, and transferring some of the burden to.others. The story of this great business is worth tellin'g, though it is impossible to adequately deal with it within the limity of an ordinary newspaper article. Only » ware sketch can be given. It is a well-worn, axiom that everything, no matter how great,'has its beginning, and back in August of, '79 saw the initial step of Mr, King's undertaking when he started as a. land and commission agent with Mr. R. G. Bauchope. Mr. King had eapHal he thought was worth £9OO, but" he found afterwards that it was much lobs. Following this the partners decided to enter the auctioneering business, and they mowl into the building on the present site now Devon Street centra), •which had previously beep occupied by the late Mr.- W» Courteriay. Shortly afterwards there were erected at Waiwakaiho the saleyards which were to be the forerunners of many, scattered throughout Taranaki. The fortnightly cattle sales commenced at s>ls stage have been continued during the intervening years with that needs no elaboration in ptfnt/ A dissolution of partnership eventuated, the- {auctioneering business and agency being carried on by Mr, v King< # that time the remainder of/ the staff consisted of 'Mr. King, Mr. Stanley W. Shaw, and a storeman. Mfc Sha,w has Been identified with the firm' right through, eventually occupying* the position of General Manager. | !-.;..- '< THE STOCK MARKET, The development of the business was continued on careful lines, and the stock; sales soon became a feature. Yards were erected at Stony River, Ra'hotu,, Awakino and Stratford. At the latterplaoe the interests of Messrs. Liardet and Hirseliberg were purchased. Arising from the development of the Stratf ord,dJstrjct, stock yards were instituted at' Toko, Whan»amomona and Douglas, and later on branches established at Kaponga, Manaia and Ohura. Of more recent date has been the extension Af the firm s.wb" ivities in this direction' by the holding of sales at i'obirima. - ■■. - The field of operations now covered is considerable: stock and station agency, land department, produce, seeds, grain and manures. The land department is a big feature at all the branches, and the transactions run into many millions a A strong point has -been made of the Sterling Seeds which have proved a great factor in the agricultural work of farmers in the district. In the manure business many thousands of tons are handled annually, an up-to-date mixing plantensuring the thorough and effective treatment of the manures. This is done under the advice of an experienced agricultural chemist and is supervised by Mr Will Healy. These manures have played no small part in the development of the land, and -Leeds basic slag, for which the firm is sole agent, is wellknown to the farming community. DIRECT SHIPPING. In conjunction with the supply., of manures, Mr. King was mainly regjeut' sible for getting the first direct shipping to New Plymouth, and this was followed up by representations' to the companies on numerous other occasions, the re- . suit being visits from an ever-increasing number of overseas vessels with variouscargoes, and also to take away produce. The firm holds the agency for., the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, and the P. and 0. Steam Navigation Company. The shipping department is under the capable management of Mr. Fred Watson, who ranks nest to Mr. Shaw as being one of the oldest employees of the firm. MORE EXPANSION. With the advent of the motor car, ivlr. King decided to .go into the motor busi-. ness, and acquired several valuable agencies, and the cars sold through this channel are seen on all the roads m Taranaki. Rapid, growth of this line, under the management of Mr H. Ashton, necessitated the erection about • seven years ago of an up-to-date garage and show room at the corner of Gill and Currie Streets, and in spite of the recent date of its inception, the building was quite recently added to with the idea of living extra accommodation and a large repair workshop. Under this department also there was taken up various lines of agricultural and dairying machinery. , . In connection with the motor business, local bodies have been supplied with various heavy trucks for road-making work, thus providing a further illustration of the numerous activities of the organisation. " . The wholesale general merchant business, which has been so successfully, developed, is carried on at the warehouse in Curric Street, under the sole management of Mr. "Wm. Healy, and is now one of the principal departments of the business. The history of this would make a long and interesting story in itself.

THE BRANCHES. After its inauguration the growth of: the Stratford business necessitated the erection of stores and offices in connection with the seed and manure business, and at a later date a niotor garage and show-rooms followed. Abolit seven or eight years ago the property of the Stratford Bacon Company in Cloton Road was acquired, Mid altered to comply with requirements for the holding of skin and hide sales. .These have developed to such an extent that they now rank amongst the largest in the Dominion; and Stratford is probably the biggest .centre in New Zealand for the sale of calfskins.The stock yards ar« very centrally «H- : Uttti Ib Mir«nd,6 Mid. |wtrt'; &ttf|»fit-

The management of the 'branch it the direction of Mr. Harold i. ■ jftr»lM ham. , ||H EXTENDING OPERATION-; .*' jj| _ Five'years ago Mr, King purchaseitiM■' '. fl goodwill of Messrs. Gamblin and Iftfr i'.'J thews, at Inglewood, and acquired ib&Ai '/''l ness premises in Rata Street, alto pro* -i perty at the back, fronting Cutfajd* .<"i Street. The building was re-modelled ,"jM and added to, providing flrst-ejjflfc offic* J'ii| and show rooms, while a itarMA #nd.' V motor repair shop recenfcfr taea'-'/r'jj erected. In charge of the ' branch . ia ft? of long standing, itr. |*| R! Cutfield, who has, been with Sfr. ITJnglL'!! for about twenty-oni years. The- braticn 1M saleynrds, situated at Dudlay ju»d,wen f 3 rebuilt at the time of the purchase. », -4 There are also branches at Kaponga '''fj (Air. W. B. Fearin, manager), ans al M Ohura (Mr. Hugh Cameron). At'the JafcO *a ter place principally stock and lajid bjsi" 2, J ness is transacted; a valuable buslnesi lip site and premises have been procured ta I'M view of future expansion- and' develop- >T $ merit in the midst of th'U thrltinir ile**-.*! trict. T '■'-*'. THE FUTURE. ■>'. ( : ' ! i'|'s It will be seen from the foregoing §ut£ » % the directing force of the eihanated from a sound source, and fclaoiwJ !' that Mr. King has been fortuaaie <•- i»i»\ \\ I the choice, of his general mental managers. With such fluowaspthe* 3 decision that the personnel of the fitafl Ms and mode of business under the Qom-./S paßy's regime, continue ae hitherto fcaot ', f§ surprising. All the controlling will retain their positions~ King as General Manager. • I'M A noteworthy point in connection "f W+al , the formation of the company Jp thfct a**"us mmVher of ordinary shares have wenV S reserved for application in tarajtalrti* M only so as to glvo tho farming commffls Ity of the province an opporttfilty".<rfiiMfo -Jf quiring an interest in the buainest. TneV-'W share list Will close on' or before the-md* ft of the present month. Preference shared a carry 6% per cent, free of inc<**3sij : A ordinary shares participating in ttoffcty'ft fits .which, of course, are considerate* <1 —__ f *£ J;