PROPOSED JAM FACTORY.

Temuka Leader, Volume 1510, Issue 1510, 9 November 1886, Page 2

PROPOSED JAM FACTORY.

7 . ( )'J

A public meriting was held! in the schoolroom, Winchester, last- Saturday evening, to consider tbe; 'advisability of establishing a jam factory. Thpye were about 60 persons present, some-of them coming from Pleasant Yailey, Geraldine, Rangitata, Tenauka, and all the inter* veiling districts, apddhe greatest en* thusiasm was manifested in the move* irient. On the motion of Mr* Twomey, Mr J. A. Young took the chair,’And after reading "the the meeting, and'tbe minutes of the' previous meeting, expressed bis thanks, to those present for having called upon him to pre* ■ide on so important an occasion. The industry w hich.they, proposed to establish large.quantity of fruit going waste in the district, and if it could be converted into jam it would be a great’advantage +6 them. It would keep the money in the place, and would give>work to a large number of families in cultivating fruit. The Committee had gone!very fully into the matter, they bad gathered information from various sources, and jie would now have great pleasure in submitting to them the Committee’s report. He would ask the Secretary to read it. The Secretary (Mr G. A. Smith) then read the report as follows : v . “ Qbntlemkn,— Your Committee held a meeting on the 18th October,-and thereat appointed a sub-Committee,, consisting of Messrs B. A. Barker,'J. A. Young, H. E. Smith, C. Bishop, and J. M. Twomey, to collect all possible; information regarding cost of work und site, and -to draw up a report fori J|ib(i)dpapon to a public meeting. The sub-Committee met on the 30th October, and ascertained—“l. That for the Sura of between four and five hundred pounds a suitable site, building, and ’ plant, sufficient ' for ths probable requirements of.' the .district for the first few years, can be obtained. “2. That allowing; frOn?, ai penny to twopence per Ibfqr Jfruit, and fourpencs per lb for sugar, toe gum of eighteen

pounds (£18) per ton will he available (or working expense* and profit. “3. Th«t the available supply of fruit .in the district for the coming season will be sufficient to make forty tons of j im. “4. That an immediately available capital of £IOOO will be required to start the industry. “Your Committee, therefore, tnticipating no difficulty in the way of establishing the industry on a profitable foot L 3 mg, would recommend the floating of a • Company with a capital of £ISOO, and thus avoid the possibility of having to pay 1 heavy 1 interest on borrowed money. “ Your Committee would farther re- " commend that the' capital be called up as follows ;—6s on application, 5* on allotment, and balance in calls of 5s at not less than' three months. . “ Tour Committee express a hope that .(‘the public Will take up the whole amount of shares at once, so as to enable tl.<* : ,industry to be started in time for ihe coming season. “In - conclusion we would point out that the industry is one which would particularly benefit small holders, and j would thfo-t >re urge upon them the ad- ; visabiliiy it vingit their hearty support. “Wo thtnk a suitable name for I he > : proposed Company would be ‘The Winchester Fruit Preserving and Export Company.’ l! ; '“(Signed, on behalf of the snb-Com-mittee). “ J. A. Youno.” Mr R. A. Barker said bo had had a conversation with Mr Bice, of Timaru, who had long experience in jam making. He was- connected with' the industry m Bristol and also in Dunedin, and he told him (Mr Barker) that they had put down the cost of plant, etc., at fcr too high a figure. He would read for them, the following extract .from the South Wales Daily News ; cessful, is a source of wealth. not only to the originator but also to the many who are dependent upon the undertaking. . The truth of this statement was never more clearly demonstrated than iu the case of an establishment, the subject of , this, sketch.. Some twelve or eighteen months past a Mr Patterson arrived in Bristol, and began in a small way »be manufacture of jams, jellies, etc., so small, indeed, that it was with much difficulty the ordinary appliances necessary for the purpose could be fitted up on the premises he then occupied. But Mr Patterson is Scotchman, and for a number of years was in the employ of an eminent O'asgow firm in the same trade, and the sequel has shown that he knew what he was about when he commenced business in Brislol. With the steady, plodding perseverance for which his countrymen are remarkable, Mr Patterson made and sold his goods in small parcels—first to one firm and then another, until the demand became much greater than the supply, and he was compelled to seek assistance to enable him to meet the steadily increasing demands of the public. Associating him- ' self with a gentleman who was former I v connected with a highly respectable firm in the city (Mr Rice), he purchased land and built a lar.e and handsome factory, , covering, with the outbuildings, some half-an-aore of ground, dose to the Bristol branch of the South Wales Rail;Way. We have paid him a {visit, and as it may not prove uninteresting to our readers, vegive a slight description of the mode io which some of the luxuries to be found on so many tables are produced. Entering the factory, onr guide > led >he way into the stock room, where baskets of fruit were piled up to the ceiling.

Pointing to one lot our attendant said—'There are.only fivs tons of plums in that lot, but we have just taken a contract with a wholesale firm to supply them with 20 tons of plum jam. We get our fruit from France by way of London. One house is under contract to supply us with ten tons a week of plums only, for the next month.’ Apples in bulk, apples in baskets and sacks, and fruit of every description lay around in profusion. Entering the bo itle room, we seemed at once to have gone into the glass business, for bottles, glass cups, and pots were heaped op in dozens and grosses, all ready for use. On the same floor, but on the opposite side of the building, am the offices, engine-room, boilers, co ipers’ shop, and store rooms. On the second fl <®r we came at once upon the busiest scene of .all. Banged along one side of a large room were a number of copper vats, or boilers, in which is placed the fruit, with the necessary quantity of sugar. A tap being turned, in a few minutes the whole is seething and boiling at a rapid rate— everything possible being done by •team throughout the establishment, thus ensuring cleanliness, which,.in a factory of this description, is so much to be

desired. After remaining in the coppers a certain time, and having various .inr: gradients added, the mass is then poured into the tins and, being allowed to cool, ■ la then labelled and.packed ready to send out. The manufacture of jellies is a large and important item in the business of the firm, and we were much struck with the care manifested in sorting , the different fruits used for making jelly. Young girls are employed for this pur* pose, as well as for many other of the - lighter branches. Passing into another part of the building we were shown an immense copper vat, which our guide stated was the largest in England used for the purpose of fruit preserving. The, firm turn out about 15 tons a week of

jitiqß and jellied, and even this large supply U not sufficient to meet the demand, tlje factory being kept going night and day. Messrs Patterson and Rice are both young men, and we heartily wish them the success that th«U perseverance and enterprise merit.*’ It could be seen from this that the prospects of the proposed industry were encouraging. The Secretary then read the following letter from Mr Bligard, who baa had 20 years* experience of jam making ; “ Qentunnel, Nov. 4th, 1886. “ Gentlemen,— Yours of the Ist to band. X shall only be too glad to furnish you with any information that you may desire. With regard to the class of building, I should say one about 60 x 30 on the ground floor, or a fcwo-storied building, say 60 x 20, would meet your requirements. Enclosed you will fled the outlines of a building, which will give you a better idea. The capital wanted for turning out 150 tons or so would be about £2OOO. The cost of making jam, .that is from the fruit going in raw to being * turned out jam, that is by steam boiling, would be about par owt, not more, and

the probable profit, taking the prices of fruit you have named, would be from 30 to 40 per cent. If there is anything more I can do for you I shall only be too happy,—Yours, etc., W. H. Bmzard."

O'l the motion ot Mr flnsor, stconded by Mr Ellis, the Committee’s report was unanimously adopted. Mr J. Pye thought the price allowed for fruit was too low, and the price of sugar too high. They would not get fruit nt an average of IJd, which he believed was the average, and he thought they could get sugar cheaper when buying it by the ton. Mr Bnflor said that none ; but the best of sugar would do, The Chairman said the Committee had been very particular about- the sugar. They could only use the best crushed loaf sugar, and those who had a thorough knowledge of the industry held that it would be the cheapest in the end. Without it they could u.t turn out a firstclass article, and he thought it was desirable to start with the best article it was possible to make. (Hear, bear). Mr Taylor wished to know whether other factories gave more than, what the Committee stated for fruit. The Chairman said the factories bought according to quality. They gave more for first-class fruit, and less for inferior. Mr Cook said a factory had been started in Otago, and it broke down because the people would not sell the fruit at from Id to 2d per lb. Mr Pye said the fruit could not be sold at Id. The lowest price he ever got was 2d per lb, The Chairman said inferior fruit could be used up, and thus gardeners would be given an opportunity of disposing of fchat would otherwise remain uselessly on their hands. If they sold the beat at better prices, they could afford to sell the inferior fruit at a low rate. It wouid appear to gardeners that it was lowering prices, but it was not. Of course the factory would not take anything which was not fit for use, but some fruit though sound was inferior in other respects. Mr H. E. Smith said that during last season a good deal of fruit bad been sold at id, and more could not be got rid of at any price. •Mr Ellis said he believed it was he who had suggested the price of Id to 2d, and he, as a gardener, thought it fair. Of course this would not mean that all fruit would be sold at that price. Some might fetch 3jd, while another class of fruit could be bought at per lb. For instance—black currants might sell at 2id, gooseberries at 2d, apples at Jd to l|d, and so on. Mr Twomey thought there was some misapprehension ns regards the price of fruit. They must remember that neither the meeting nor the Committee had power to fix the price of anything, as that was the business of the permanent directors who would be elected if the project succeeded. , The price <d in the Committal’s repoit showed merely the basis of their calculations; it was only something to go upon. The industry was not got up for the purpose of amassing wealth, as if the Directors saw that they could afford to give more far fruit they would doubtless do so. When it was suggested to start a dairy factory in the district, everyone said that milk could not be got at all for fourpenco per gallon. No one would milk cows for that. The factories, however, had been started, and now people were very glad to sell milk at much less than fourpence. The factories were a great boon to the district, for not ;only did they create a market for milk, but they increased the price of butter. In the same way fruit growers wouid find that they would get a better price for the pick of their gameris’, because they would •be more independent. They could say to |the dealers in fruit: “If you do not give jus our price we will take it to the factory and sell it there in cart-loads.” When they got good prices for the pick of thoir fruit like that, they could afford to sell the balance at a low price. There was another point ovai looked. He presumed all fruitgrowers would be shareholders, or at any rate they ought to be. If the industry paid •40 or 50 per 'cent, as Blizard said it would, fruitgrowers would thus be doubly paid—first for their fruit, and secondly in the shape of dividends on their shares. On these grounds he did not think they ought to hesitate about ths price, more especially as the present meeting could not fix them.

Mr Pye said his meaning was that fruit would not be supplied at that price, and, therefore, the factory would not succeed. Mr Barker: Certainly, The factory cannot go on without fruit. Mr Ellis said he had sold fruit last season at a fraction under a peony. He would be too glad to bring it to the factory at the prices named. He would suggest that only a small quantity should be made the first season.

The Chairman said the proposal was to make 12 tons.

Mr Ellis would prefer to go in on a small scale until they ascertained the quality of the jam. Mr Ensor thought the great difficulty in the way was that (hey could not compete with jams made elsewhere. Most of the jaws were made of carrots, turnips, and pumpkins (laughter), and they could not compete against tbege. Mr Barker said they could make jam of turnips too. (Laughter.) Mr Smith said the Addington factory produced a first-class article, and could not supply the demand. The cost price of the Addington jam was 665, or 6d per lb gross weight. Mr Taylop thoiight the point fully discussed now. The Committee bad brought in an excellent report, which showed that the industry could be made a success, and he thought they ought to go on with it, He would move that the meeting now proceed to elect Provisional Directon. Mr Ellis wished tp know whether jars or tins would be adopted.

The Chairman explained that the jars were considered preferable, and, in reply lo a question, the Secretary said the jars could be bought at 3d or 4d per lb, and sold with the jam at 6d per lb, so that a profit of 2d per lb would be tpdo qn the jars. Mr Coombs agreed with Mr Ellis as regards the prices. He thought the prices mentioned would be very fair. The (Chairman said he wished fo correct what he had said with regard to inferior fruit. He did p/»t m ea b thqt bad fruit wouid b e takpu into tbo factory jhe meant fruit which would not keep for winter use.

Mr Ijo-ich seconded Mr Taylor’s motion. Mi M. Carrig said the people his way (PEa-mt Valley) were in favor of jars. He knew a man who sent a lot of fruit to Wellington, ,an 4 only got for if, out of which he had to pay carriage and commission.

Mr Barker: We are a lot better than th 'it.

Mr Ellis'said' people in Christchurch sold plums ! dn the trees at and surely for another £d they could deliver them, Mr Carrig said a man could make no better use of his land than growing fruit at the price. Mr Twomey ; Do you think, Mr Ellis, as a practical man, that the prices on which the Committee based their calculations reasonable?

Mr Ellis said certainly it: was. Supposing a man put in an acre of black currants. By puttiug them in six feet apart, be would get 1200 to 1300 to the acre, and say each yielded 31b« of currants ho would make £3O out of the acre (applause). The greatest part of the work would be done by his own family. Mr Pye asked when they would be raady to start. The Chairman said it would depend on how long it would take to get all the shares sold. The plant and building could be got ready in a month. Mr Ellis did not think in would be wise to make more than five or six tons for the first year (applause). The Chairman said they contemplated making about 12 tons. Mr Ellis said that unless it was understood that only a small quantity would be made the first year the people would not take up the shares. After the matter had be discussed for some time to this effect Mr Teromey said it was only waste of time and energy to discuss the matter at present. Neither this meeting nor the Committee could make hard and fast rules as to the number of tons of j»m which would be made, as that was the business of the Permanent Directors. They bad met that evening to consider whether the industry was good enough to start, and io passing the Committee’s report they had agreed that it was. The next business was to elect Provisional Directors, for the purpose of floating the the company, and when the shares were taken up a public meeting of shareholders would be held to elect Permanent Directors. At that meeting they could make any recommendation they liked, and they need only elect such Directors as agreed with their views. Mr Taylor’s motion to go on with the election of Provisional Directors was then put and carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr Twomey, seconded by Mr Taylor, it was resolved to make the number of Provisional Directors 15. The following gentlemen were then elected Provisional Directors : Messrs R. A. Barker, J. Pye, M. Carrig, J. M. Twomey, J. A. Young, W. U. Slack, J. T. M. Hayhurst, J. J. Ellis, Taylor, H. E. Smith, J. Lewis, H. Gladstone, W. E. Barker, and Hon. W. Rolleston, M.H.R.

On the motion of Mr Barker, seconded by Mr Loach, it was resolved—“ That the consent of all the Provisional Directors be got in writing." On the motion of Mr Taylor, seconded by Mr Loach, it w q .s decided to hold the first meeting of Directors on Tuesday, the 16th, at 7i30 p.ro. The Chairman said several gentlemen had already taken great interest in the industry. One of them —Mr J. T. M. Hayhurst—deserved their special thanks. He had intended to start a jam factory himself, butgave-up the idea when he found this factory starting, and he gave to Mr Twomey all the information collected by his father in England. Mr Twomey also deserved special thanks for the very valuable services he had rendered in gathering information. He would suggest that a vote of thanks be given to 1 Messrs Hayhurst and Twomey. On the motion of Mr Chapman, a vote of thanks to Messrs Hayhurst and Twomey was curried by acclamation, Mr Twomey said a vote of thanks was a hew sensation to him. (Laughter). He , had not received a vote of thanks for anything he had done before, bn* be required no thanks for pushing ; forward local industries. It was on them the salvation of the colony depended. We bad to send out of this colony about £4,000,000 a year in the shape of interest, and this could be done only by producing our goods instead of importing them. It behoved every man who had the wellbeing of the colony at heart therefore, to do all in bis powe: to foster local industries, as it was in .them all their hopes lay. Mr Cook proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman and Committee for the way in which .they had performed their labors. The industry would solve the question,. “ What will we,do with onr boys ?” as it would give employment to many of them; • / . The motion was carried by acclamation. Mr Youpg in reply said that what ho and the Committee had done had been a labor of love. He had not the least doubt but the industry would be a great success.; ,i . Mr Twomey proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Smith, who had; done a lot of work as Secretary in a very capable and intelligent rafnner. He would also move that he retaip the position of Secretary until the Directors meet, Mt- Taylor seconded th© motion and it was carried by acclimation. The meeting then terminated.