CO-OPERATIVE FREEZING WORKS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3186, 11 May 1909, Page 5

CO-OPERATIVE FREEZING WORKS.

AN EXPERT'S OPINION. (Prom Our Pahiatua Correspondent). As the question of co-operative freezing works is at present agitating the minds of a great number of farmers throughout the Wellington Province a few details in reference to the scheme, and its prospects from one who is in a position to speak with some authority and practical knowledge will, no doubt, be interesting at this stage. For some weeks past Mr M. J. Corrigan, of Nelson, accompanied by Messrs Rouse (Nelson) and J. C. Cooper( Pahiatua) have been moving among the farmers of the Pahiatua district to find cut what support would be forthcoming for co-oper-ative works. Interviewed by your correspondent on Monday last Mr Corrigan, who is one of the bigge?t shareholders and original promoters of the Nelson Freezing Company, stated that their mission had been eminently satisfactory. Farmers generally had taken up the question earnestly with the result that the flotation of the Company is practically assured. The district, said Mr Corrigan, was particularly suitable for such an enterprise, and when once the .works were started the benefits would quickly become apparent. He had travelled the whole of the Dominion, from the North Cape to the- Bluff, and in his opinion the Wellington province comprised absolutely the best sheep country seen in his travels. A peculiar and important characteristic of every farm he had visited was that it had sufficient ploughable land on which to grow artificial feed tor the fattening of all surplus stock. In comparison with the price ruling for sheep country in Canterbury, similar land in Pahiatua was much less costly, "For instance," said Mr Corrigan, "grass costing 10s par acre in Canterbury is obtainable in your district for about 4s 6d. The comparative cheapness of land more than compensates for the difference in price obtained in the market between North Island and Canterbury mutton. Then again sheep in this district are larger and on an average are lOlbs heavier per sheep than those in Canterbury. Fat wethers that were sold here the other day for 9s 6d and 10s would realise 15s at Burnside, Otago." The advantages ot farmers handling their own stock through their own freezing works must be apparent to every one, as the sheep were slaughtered andfrozen at a minimum of cost, placed to the best advantage in the Home markets, and all profits came back to the producer. The balance sheets of freezing companies at present operating in this distrirp formed very pleasant reading for shareholders, who in most instances were the big landed proprietors. After allowing for depreciation, and the building up of huge reserve funds the companies had been able to declare very generous dividends. Asked to express an opinion as to a suitable site Mr Corrigan stated that he thought it should be in the vicinity of Wellington, as from there they would be in direct communicatino with both coasts, but this question will, however, be eventually settled by expert opinion. Mr Corrigan. left for Christchurch yesterday on private business, but hopes to return to this district in about a week's time. He emphasised his belief that the proposed works when established would prove sucessful, and ha had backed his opinion by taking up a good many shares.