PROPOSED MEAT TINNING WORKS FOR WAIKATO.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2045, 15 August 1885, Page 2

PROPOSED MEAT TINNING WORKS FOR WAIKATO.

The first meeting of the crnimittee appointed at the public meeting on the sth mst. took place at the Public Hall, Hamilton, yesterday afternoon. The following members of the committee were present :—Mcvi<. W. A. Graham, W. Ruth™ ford, H. Westney, H. Roche, Capt. Steelo, Messrs S. T. Seddon, John Fislier, K. Reynold-, G. K. Clark, ,T. Gane, J. Brooks T. M. Hill, Jas. Runciman, J. W. Eliis, «T. «T. Barugh, A. B. Suttorand Geo. Edgecumbe. Mr Jackson, Architect, of Auckland, who designed the plans foi the Wait.ira Tinning Woiks, was also pie-ent. Mr W. A. Giaham, the convener of tho committee, said tho meeting was called, not for the purpose of putting any h\ed scheme into operation, but for free discussion. The committee had no fixed ideas about the niattei, and the business thuiefore before them was to consider what was best to be done. He read tho advertisement in The Waikato Tunes calling the meeting, and ha id it now devohed upon the committee to appoint a chin man. On the motion of Mr Brooks, seconded by Mr Gane, Mr Graham was appointed chairman. Tho Chairman, after thanking the committee for the honour conferred upon him, .said that as .several of the gentlemen present were not at the public meeting, ho would briefly detail the circumstance-) which had led to the calling of that meeting. He then briefly recapitulated the proceedings. Since the public meeting he had, with Mr (iane, gone carefully o\er the estimates of cost of machinery, etc., and had arrived at the conclusion that the cost of the cooking and tinning machinery for 2lb. tins would be £1207, to do 2^ tons per day. Messis Wmgatc, Burns and Co. had sent in an estimate which was slightly lusher in price. The Secietary (Mr Edgecumbe) read a letter from Mr \V. \V. Craw fold, mechanical engineci, Auckl md, offering to guarantee to erect the neces-aiy plant at less than £2300, the capacity to be five tons per d.iy. This estimate included boiler, engine, etc. Mi Cr.iwford stated that ho had neatly all the patterns etc., necessary, and the woiks could be in opciation in t<i\ months. He presumed that the cool chamber inquired would be for meat storage. If, howe\ei, fiee/.mg chambers wcie required, he could supply Haslain'.s estimates. The Secietary also read a letter fioni Mi Jackson, of Coxon and Jackson, aichitects, Auckland, intimating that he would be in Hamilton on the day of meeting. The Secretary read letters from Mr Glassford (Briarley), Captain Bockett (Rangia-)hia), and Mi Hanmci (Te Aroh.i), and Major Bailey, C.B. (Fen Couit), promising to .support the company, and heartily appioving its object. Mr G. E. Clark said he had met Mr Muir Douglas, who regietted Ins inability to be piesent, and intimated that lie would gi\o the pioposal his he.uty Mippoit. Mr H. Koohe made a similar apology for Mr W. Taylor. The Secretary also lead the following letter from Mr T. Goodfellow, Alexandra : — Dear Sn, — Your letter of the Oth la to hand. In reply, I beg to state that I think before the settlers of Waikato take any steps to start a Canning Company, the shareholdeis of the Fn>/,en Moat Company in Waikato should first ask tho •above company to take the matter up, then in the esent of their declining, we should make all h.iste to l,e leady foi next summer. If my memoiy seivos me correctly, the chanman of the Fro/en Me.it Company (Mr Bull) at the first annual meeting stated that it was the intention of the company to eiect c inning woiks at other places than Wait.ua, when they thought the supply of meat sufficient t > wai rant such. Now as thej aie in a bettei position to woik the business than we cm hope to be, m my opinion they should be asked to go on with the woik, as I think they c.mnot dispute a sufficient meat supply at pie-ont To make the affair a gre it -uLce^s fitso/ing woiks .should be wiMi it, and besides, we cm ne\er hope to pioduce .in aiticle equal to the Waitaia woiks, as wo h ive not the qu.'bty of meat to b 'gin with ;th"iefoic, the Freezing Oompanj would alv\ iys bo to the fore, 1 am ah aid, with order-. Therefoie, sii, I cannot be with you until the Free/Jug Company decline to pioceed with canning woiks m Waikato. Hoping you will not allow any of mv ideas to upset your aiiangements I am, yours \ery truly, Two*.. Gooni mow." The Chui m m wished the gentlemen present to give some idea as. to the amount of support the undertaking was likely to obtain. He would also like to heai the ideas of the meeting as to tho amount of capital lequired. lie quoted tho Auckland bntcheis' puce list published in these columns the other day. Ho undei stood that the butchei had a Uigo sin plus of meat ht for tinning, which he had to gi\e away. Fioni convocations lie had had with the Auckland butcheis, he did not think they woiesomuch to bl line foi the low juice of meat. He road a list of the chaigcn which had to be paid by the butchers before the meat got to the retail shop. Bv establishing slaughterhouses in Waikato, it was estimated that f>,(>o2 pei annum would bo kept in the distnet, which now goes in fees of various sorts. There were twenty butchers in Anckl tnd willing to come to an anaugemont w ith the Waikato Company. If they went into the me.it tinning business also, tho numbeisof cattle and sheep slaughtered would be largely mci eased. The butchei •* complained that the present condition of in ittors injured them. They lo >ked for «ard to getting a supply of bettei meat from Waikato, than the Company get fioni other p.uts of the colony. He had it fioni a butcher in Auckland that he had sold beef fioni Waikato better than he had evoi seen in tho colony, ilo hul .in extensive acquaintance withothei paitx of the colony, and ho could say that the land in this distnet was as good ,i< that in any other place ; all that w is w anted was energy and dotei initiation ami then then futuie 'Ukci'is wan assured. Some disriiHsinii then ensued as to the cost of the plant, itc. In the estimate read from Auiciica it wasst.itid that tho machine would cost £H>o. In .uiiwci to questions Mr Jackson said the machine would embrice the 0ii o '.ue, but not tho b. nlor, which would eos-t complete about £100. It wis tho ly ,t ti .t t'3,suO for the plant would be a hafe basis to go u|wm. Mi Johii Fisher tli >ii o htth<'y should hrstof all ,t~i rit.iin whetlui the Kioi^iug Company would In' picpaudto t ike the matter up. Th it coiup.iiiy had been established in the interests of the fanners, md should have a chance to pi o\o vvhethei u would be useful or ii' it. M my people li id refused to mip [xii t the pioposod company upon this ground. Ho did not think the glut would last long, and meantime tinning woiks would be erected at Hawera, which would relieve tho market. He believed the company had once thought of establishing a branch at Hamilton, and had gone .so far as to euquue about tho price of land, but it was thought the supply would not be laige enough. Ho believed tho surplus would .soon be removed. If, therefoie, the factoiy was established it would bo so much money sunk. If the Freezing Company put up tho works, they could do so at much loss cost than a new company. Ho would move that the secietary communicate with the Freo/.mg Company, asking whether it was their intention to eiect tinning works in Waikato. Mr Gane .said, judging from conversations he had with people, it was doubtful whether the capital necessary could be raised. This was not his own opinion. Others were of opinion that the present glut would not continue, and others again wero in favour of the schema, but thought it should bo associated with the Co-opera-tive Association. He himself favoured this opinion. Concerning the quality of the Waikato moat, he, dis,igie,ed with Mi Goodfellow entirely. It would compaie favomably with that sold in Auckland by the Fiee/.uiß Company. Many fanners ho knew were of Mi Goodfellovv's opinion, but he had tho authority of Mi Fuller, of Auckland, for sajiug that the Waikato meat for the past two yeais could not bo beaten, in les-pect of either weight oi quality. He did not behove the butchers of Auckland enteitained any piejudico against Waikato beef. Mr S. T. Seddon believed the scheme would succeed, provided tho two largo pro ducing companies would co-operate. This they were not likely to get. People lan away with the idea that the glut would soon pass away, but it would soon come again. (Hear, hear.) He would ask Mr 1 ishcr to alter his motion to this effect : That a deputation should wait on the company, and request them to erect works in Waikato, Failing compliance, the peoplo of Waikato should go on with the woiks themselves. He thought, theiefore, they should still go into the matter of cost, fee, so as to be read. He seconded Mr Fishei's motion pro forma. Tho Chairman H.\id it would bo necosgary

to lay before the company in Auckland an estimate of the cost of what they wished them to do. Capt. Steele said they had come there . not to a«k the Fiee/,ing Company to do anything, hut to do something themselves. It matteied very little who took the matter up, whether it was the I'Ve/ing Company, the Co oper.itiyo Association, or a separate company. Fiotu conversations he had had with different people, he behoved they could laisc t"»000 easily. He thought this would be ample. He thought the plant should lie got from America ditect. If they once had a small tinning plant in the district it would give confidence to bteedor- c by tending to legulate prices. He thought the meeting ought to discuss the whole Question. He rsked Mi Fisher to witlidiaw his resolution foi the present. The Freezing Company had been asked dozens of time's. Mi Fisher said if the motion would have the effect of bin king the question he would be glad to withdiavv it. The motion w.is accordingly withdrawn. Mi Jackson then exhibited the pi vis of the buildings of the Wntua woiks He, estimated the cost of buildings neces-ary to carry on tinning operat : ons, with slaughterhouses, tallow house, tinning and salting room*, on .i b i-is of 21 tons pel day, at about £1200. He stiongly leiommonded them to eiect a cooling chamber. This could be elected at an additional cost of £»00or.tr>00. Mr R. Reynolds thought the estimate given by Mr Jackson excessive. He considered Mich a building as they required could be put up foi \eiy little money. He spoke strongly m favour of the proposed company. It was necessary to do «omethiug. Concerning the quality of meat and land in tins 1 distiict, he did not think they had much to fear. He had recently visited N.ipiei, and ha could tell them that he would not change districts. Mr Clark said it was pretty clcu that they would lequiie a capital of €10,000. He would like to ask Capt. Steele whether they could raise that amount? Theio weie tin ee large companies in the distiict who owned more land thin eveiybody i>lm> Would they find f>ooo if the rest would hud the other tT>ooo.' Capt. Steele could not answer for the large companies. He could only -peak foi himself. Ho was still of opinion that £">OOO capitil would be enough. They wanted the best machineiy, certiinly, but they did not want expensive buildings. As to requumg capital to buy cattle &c , they did not require much in that way. If they went in for a big cipit.il they would frighten people, and it was necessary to do something. Some discussion then ensued as to the chaiacter and extent of the markets foi tinned meat, the price, <\.c. It Was stated that an expoit pnee of 5d could be looked for. Mr Graham said there was a probability of a market being opened in Germany. Capt. riteele slid there was an unlimited market for good mf.it in Enghnd. Mr Jackson said the Auckland company's meat fetched \d per lb more than the tip price of the others in the English niirket. Mi Graham said the meat fiom the Ri\ei Plata distiict could not compare with the New Zealand pioduct. Mr l'Vhcr thought they should not look for high prices. He h\d heard tint the Freezing Company had agieed to sell 4000 sheep to the agents of the Done at 2UI a pound. Mr T. M. Hill remaikcd that this meant, with the hkui and offal, Id pei lb. Mr Clark believed it was necessaiy to have a cooling chamuor, because they would look for most of their piofit from the piime joints, which would icquire to be kept in such a place. He thought they should start on a bbeial b»sw. Mi It >ehc could not see why they should stii t a sop.v ite company. Why not tack it on to the Co opeiative Association '! The cheapest and wi\est couise would be to ■ *>ist the Co-operative Association to cairy on the work. The Chairman slid the question of whit agency should cany on thewmk would be consideied thereafter. For the piesent they ought to consider the question of cost. Mr Brooks supported Mr Roches suggestion. He thought the Co-ouerative Association could cmy on the operations if the new issue of shaies weie subset i bed. He knew f >r a fact that the number of cattle in the district was nici easing. He warned them not to expect anything fiom the company in Auckland. If the large land owneis would only take up a piopoitionate number of shaies, he felt sure they would be successful. He thought the estimate of the buildings was excessive. At the same time he did not think a capital of £>000 vr.is sulficient. Mr Seddon thought it would be necessary to have the cooling chambci. In answer tn the Chin man, Mi Jackson said the free/.ing machineiy would cost about £")00. The Cliairmin said it was pretty well ascei tamed that the cost of plant, nnchineiy, buildings, etc., would be i'"> 000. The land would cost little, so that the question now to be consideied was the amount of w oi king capital icqniied. He believed the butchers of Auckl.vid would be willing to anange with the company upon a b,»Ms sitisfactory to the fannei, the butchei, and the company. Captain Steele said, in response to Mr Hiooks, that he had no piejudieo against the Co-operative Association taking over the concern. All he wanted was to -<cc it established. Mr Roche said that in his part of the, dis tiict many weie desiimis th it the ni'* it tinning factoiy should be earned out undei the Co opeiative Association. Mt IVhet thought th.it the meeting wagetting . i way fiom the subject. He suggested tint lists should beprepaied foreicli comiuitleeman, with columns undei sepai ate headings, in oiderthat the opinion of the settleis mu»l«t be tested upon the question as to whether it should lie under the Fiee/iug Company, the Co-opeiative Association, oi as a sepaiate company. Captain Steele agieed with this siigges turn. He believed in canvassing the distnct. If they could not get the capital it was no use w asting time. Mi Fishei said nothing had been adv meed to altei his opinions legarding the Fiee/mg Company. Ciptaiu Runciman thought it w. is no use asking the W.nkato settleis to siippoit the movement if it was to be carried out under the au-jnees of the Fiee/ing Company Mi Seddon pointed out that m the event of the Fiee/.mg Com]) my taking up the nidusliy the fannei s would not be asked to subsunbe. The Chan man suggested that Captain Steole should communicate with the Fieiving Company, andasceitain what the intentions of thecoiiipan> weie. Mi I'.sl.oi .. K i.<-d with thiCaptain Steele suggested that Mes==is Baingh, Seddon, and himself should be a committee to di aft a lettei to the directois of the companies. Mr Fishei moved to that effect, and the motion being seconded by Mr Clark was cat lied. Mr Brooks moved "That the committee having ascertained that the plant and machinery of a canning and meat company can be put up for the sum of t!")000 ; lists shall be isued to the committee, and the general Mew ascertained as to the number of shares that would be taken up, whether the proposed company is merged into the Co-opeiative Association, oi whether a new companj' should be staited. " Tins was seconded by Mr Seddou and cariied unanimously. Votes of thanks to Mr Jackson and to the chairman brought the lneeeting to a close.

A hook has just been published which strongly recommends insects for human food, such as caterpillars, slugs and beetles. It is stated that the Eavl of Dudley (recently deceased) was insured in \aiious offices to the extent of upwards of £300,000. Tenders are invited for the Oluncmoa road contract, North Island lrunk Railway Ibe Co-operative Association, Hamilton, require a couple of Berkshire" sows. lhe Rev It. Hutson will lecture on "Success" at P iter.intfi on the 2">th, at Ohatipn on the 2(ith, and at le Auimutu on the 27th in't , in aid of the Manse Debt Fund. Mr John Knox will sell on Wednesday next, on the premises the whole of the stock and furniture, &c , in tho Waikato Hotel, Hamilton K.ist The full list of lots will be found in the advertisement in another column. Yes !It is certainly true. Ask any of your friends who have purchased there. Garlick and Cramvcll have numerous unasked for and \ery favourable commendations from country customers »n their excellent packing of Furniture, Crockery, and Glass, &c. Ladies any gentlemen about to furnish should remember that Garlick and Cranwell's is thf Cheap Furnishing Warehouse of Auckland. Furniture to suit all classes ; also Carpets, Floor Cloths and all House Necessaries. If new house is nearly finished, or, )ou arc jroing to get married, visit Garlick and Cranwell, Queen-street and Lornr-strcet, Auckland. Intendingpurchascrscan have a catalogue ten free.