IN Primary Production

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1940, Page 27 (Supplement)

IN Primary Production

Patea Is Outlet To World's Largest Export Ot Cheese

The outlet to the markets of the world for the products of the fertile farm lands of South Taranaki, the port of Patea boasts the proud distinction of being the largest cheese exporting port in the world. The township of Patea, known in the pioneering days as Carlyle, is the oldest in South Taranaki, and as the landing place of the great navigator Turi it is steeped in legend and Maori lore. The story of Patea is a stirring one of hardships and privations borne by the stalwart pioneers of more than 70 years ago, it is a revelation of the unconquerable spirit of the men and women of the past, who laid the foundations of what is to-day a thriving industrial centre in the heart of the richly productive lands of the surrounding countryside." The wealth of the dairy lands of South Taranaki flows through the cool stores of the West Coast Refrigerating Company Ltd., which has its buildings at the

wharfside. The works have a maximum storage capacity of 85,000 crates of cheese and 24,000 boxes of butter. The erection of a new store capable of accommodating between 28,000 and 30,000 crates of cheese, together with necessary wharf facilities, commenced in February, 1938, was completed in February of this year, the new store being considered one of the finest in the Dominion. Scope of Cool Stores, The scope of the activities of the cool stores extends from Waverley in the south to Mangatoki in the north and Opunake in the west, 44 factories sending cheese to the works for grading last season, while the butter output of 12 factories was handled also. The company received 334,553 crates of cheese and 63,258 boxes of butt-r last season, the total gross tonnage of dairy produce handled being 3730 tons greater than for the previous season, and it is expected that with the provincial-wide drive for increased production the returns this year will be much greater. Three ships, the property of the South Taranaki i hipping Co. Ltd., ply between Patea and Wellington, carrying cargoes of dairy produce to overseas vessels and back-loading with large quantities of materials for the freezing works, or merchandjse for the commercial section of the community. Space allotments were consisently filled ,>y the West Coast Refrigerating Company Ltd., last season, and of the 26,436 tons of dairy produce exported, 92.12 per cent., or 24,352 tons, were shipped through Patea. Of the latter quantity, 98.74 per cent., or

24,044 tons, were despatched aboard the ships of the South Taranaki Shipping Company Ltd. An indication of the importance of the port of Patea to the province, and South Taranaki in particular, may be gleaned from the returns of last year's operations, The exports totalled 25,143 tons, and imports amounted to 3831 tons. Included in the exports were 22,853 tons of cheese and 1455 tons of butter. Large Industrial Operations. The largest industrial operations at Patea are those of the Patea Freezing Company, which has an annual output of 372.000 freight carcases of sheep, cottle, and pigs, and a pay-roll in the vicinity of £75,000. Although the company imports much of its materials through the port of Patea it uses the railway extensively for the transport of its produce to the ship's side at New Plymouth, and to a lesser degree at Wanganui and Wellington. Recently the company completed the erection of a new building capable of accommodating an additional 80,000 freight carcases of mutton.