THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1909. THE PROPOSED NEW FREEZING WORKS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3213, 12 June 1909, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1909. THE PROPOSED NEW FREEZING WORKS.

In placing the prospectus of the Wellington Farmers' Meat Company, Ltd., before the public, the promoters observe that "no agricultural community can be said to be up-to-date unless it is well and conveniently served by freezing works. The institution of the industry opened up a new era in the prosperity of the Dominion, and the inauguration of up-to-date works must mean a con* siderable advancement to the district they serve. The Wellington Province and the adjoining portion of Hawke's Bay constitute by far the best agricultural and pastoral portion of the Dominion, carrying a stock of 6,000,000 sheep, nearly one third of the sheep of the Domin|on, and about half a million cattle, a number considerably in excess of the total number of cattle in the South Island With advance o'f settlement, and tl:e closer settlement of the large estates, these figures must in the near future' be largely increased. Even now, Wellington, in point of export of mutton and lamb, exceeds the totals for Canterbury, up to recently considered the premier province in the Dominion, while in export of beef Wellington leads the Dominion by a long way. The total export of mutton and lamb, apart from beef, from the above district for the present year will probably be about 2,000,000 carcases, and although we have freezing works that probably rank amon<? the largest arid most up-to-date in the Dominion, with their capacity taxed to their utmost limits, they have been absoutely unable to deal with the enormous number of fat stock of the very best quality in the world that has been offered them this year. It is estimated that had their capacity been large enough, at least another quarter of a million sheep and lambs could have been disposed of by placing them on the Home market. As a largely increased number of farmers have this season gone in for breeding for the lamb trade, the position will probably be very ipuch worse next year, and as lambs of this description are as a rule unprofitable to hold over for another year, it is of great importance that increased freezing accomodation be provided at Jthe earliest possible

date. Had it been possible to dis-

pose of all the sheep that were or j could have been fattened during the 1 past season, and the value of them in cash put in circulation through our hanking institutions, the present financial stringency would not be nearly so severe. As it is, the amount of surplus stock will now be a charge upon the farmer for another year, with probably no increase in value of the stock, the cost of keeping them therefore will almost amount to a dead loss, and the glut is even now having a most depressing effect upon all classes of stock offered for sale." The company, also, propose to provide at as low a rate as possible cold storage for both butter and cheese, and also to deal with pigs by their manufacture into pork or bacon, and to <2eal with other dairy products if the dairy farmers of the district support the Company by taking up shares to the extent anticipated. The promoters, also, point out, and with considerable truth, that in districts such as Wellington and Hawke's Bay the success of the towns and townships entirely depends upon the success of the farmer and the production of the back country generally. Consequently any industry that will increase their prosperity and value should be encouraged by every business man and investor in the provinces; but apart from the above reasons, since the time that frozen meat became a recognised article of trade, and secured for itself an assured place on the Home market, freezing works have been considered a good investment by all classes of investors, and with the rapid development of the farming industry in this portion of the Dominion, it must become more so, and it is proposed that the operations of the company shall not be of a speculative nature. So far considerable encouragement has been met with, and promoters are Banguine of raising the amount of capital with which it is proposed to commence operations, viz., £IOO,OOO. The question of whether the works shall be situated at a port or inland is a matter, for future consideration.