MESSRS ARTHUR YATES & Co.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5096, 6 August 1895, Page 2

MESSRS ARTHUR YATES & Co.

We had an interesting conversation with a member of tho firm of Arthur Yates and Co., a short time ago, and wore interested in hearing tlie story of their prosperous career. The firm was originally founded in Manchester, England, by Mr George Yates, in 1526. Manchester people will remember the original shop at "Old Millgate," Market Place. Later, in the hands of Mr Samuel Yates, the business has grown immensely, and, to cope with changed circumstances., they built a large warehouse, containing shop and offices, at the top of Shudehill. This handsome structure is five storeys high and two cellars deep — seven floors in all, and is fitted with the latest improvements in seedcleaning machinery, etc. Since the erection of this they had, iu 1890, to purchase an adjoining section, and have now built a similar warehouse to the first, for storing goods. Tho total floor space of the combined, buildings, now amounts to nearly an acre, and in them fifty hands are ompioyetl,

The New Zealand branch ivas opened in Auckland in 1883 by Mr Arthur Yates, and after the first year made immense strides in popular favour, as they wcro ablo to supply reliable seeds of good growth, so that when the seeds became known tlio demand for them increased, so that Mr Ernest Yates lmd to como out from England to assist in the management, when the style of the firm in the colonies was altered to Arthur Yates & Co., and another branch was opened in Sydney. In proof of the esteem in which their seeds are held, in 1884 their sales in Auckland only amounted to 50,000 packets of vegetable and flower seeds but in 1895 they expect to sell 500,000 packets in the colonies and in the same time their staff of assistants has increased from three to thirty, employed in the warehouses and offices alono, besides a small army of men employed on tho various seed farms near Auckland and New South Wales. We understand that the secret of their success is through everything being tested before it is allowed to be sold and if the growth is not satisfactory it is destroyed. Mr Yates mentioned that his grandfathers were seedsmen and that seven uncles were brought up to the same trade, The firm's seeds are obtainable from nearly all storekeepers, Messrs J. Graham & Co being the looal agents, •