LOCAL FREEZING WORKS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9048, 14 March 1908, Page 6

LOCAL FREEZING WORKS.

SOME OBSERVATIONS. (By One Who Knows).

Not so many years ago there was a movement on foot and a good deal of interest evinced therein for the establishment of local freezing works in the Wairarapa. Many of the settlers —some so far away as Pahiatua—were strong advocates of the project. Unfortunately it carr.-3 to naurht, mainly through apathy on the part of stock breeders, want of cohesion and the strong opposition and arguments adduced by some of the ruling spirits who had vested interests in the Wellington Frozen Meat Companies, that such a venture would not pay at an inland centre like Masterton. The very vehemence of the arguments useu by these gentlemen who opposed the scheme should have made local people pause and consider, for it was a pretty clear indication that the meat companies look with alarm at any competition, as tending to lighten the huge profits they enjoy. I repeat that unfortunately the project came to naught, and in doing so would point out that under present conditions caused by the drought local freezing works would be of inestimable value to settlers who through force of circumstances have to sacrifice their stock, and who are to all intents and purposes under the thumb of the Wellington Meat ring. It is quite on the cards that before many weeks elapse the price of meat in the Wairarapa may go up by leaps and bounds and prime joints impossible to procure. It is the opinion of many far-seeing men that such will be the case. Butchers foretell a paucity of stock, particularly beef cattle, and should even rain come speedily and in plentiful quantity and a supply of grass become available it will be too late to have any appreciable effect in fattening stock; and on the other hand flocks have been so depleted in consequence of the drought that with any semblance of feed, sheep and cattle breeders will hold on to their stock.

The Freezing Companies of Wellington are now dealing with large numbers of stock forced into their hands through the sorry plight of the producers—dairy stock even being taken to shambles at Petone at a rate of from 80 to 90 a week. It is estimated that as there is such a large quantity of meat too inferior for export an abnormal amount will be tinned this season, and that as much frush meat as possible will be retained in the freezing chambers to supply local demands during the winter months. The "man in the street" even affirms that Wairarapa and Masterton consumers may have to draw on the companies for preserved meats.

A member of the Borough Council, Cr Yarr, with commendable pluck tabled a motion in the direction of reducing the pike of meat as retailed by our local "knights of the cleaver" to the public; the Municipal authorities to open retail shops. The scheme was a bold one, but would have failed, even if it could have been done legally, through the want of expert talent to carry it out satisfactorily. The establishment of "local co-opera-tive freezing works" and shops would do much to regulate the price of meat, and keep monopolies in check, while the cost of distribution being concentrated the project would be carried out much cheaper than at present by half-a-dozen butchers' carts following one another up the same street daily to supply the same number of customers.

Producers should be enjoined to take shares as it is to their interest to have tbeir stock slaughtered as near homo as possible to save knocking about and expense in transit to the capital city. The working up of by-products locally is also of import as giving employment to a number of hands whose earnings would filter into the pockets,of our tradesmen. If such works were in existence at the present time, and there was ample cool storage space, a large quantity of the settlers produce could be held in stock for future requirements and drawn upon as circumstances warranted.