THE PROPOSED FREEZING WORKS AT TAURANGA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2765, 3 April 1890, Page 2

THE PROPOSED FREEZING WORKS AT TAURANGA.

The offer of Messrs Nelson Bros., to erect freezing works at Tauranga, on a guarantee of a supply of 25,000 sheep per annum, was again considered at the meeting of the Waikato Farmers' Club at Cambridge on Monday evening last. A letter was also read from the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, regarding the offer made by the Auckland Freezing Company. The following is the correspondence received, and the discussion which ensued thereupon:— The Assistant Inspector of the Bank of New Zealand wrote, under date March 11th: "I have to acknowledge your letter of the sth inst., re frozen meat shipment*, the contents of which will be duly laid before our Board on Friday next. ' %No further reply had been received. Mr W. F. Lawry, of the Loan and Mercantile Company wrote on March 15th : " We have to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your letter of the sth inst., enclosing circulars from Messrs Nelson Bros, and from the Tauranga County Council, in reference to starting freezing works at Taurangn. Your letter has received our careful consideration, and we need hardly say we ate in entire sympathy with the objects your Club hns in view, viz.; *,he advancement of the Waikato district. We understand that a deputation from your club (Mr E. B. Walker) recently waited on the Auckland Freezing Company and urged that they should offer the same inducements for the export of surpli.s stock as outlined by Messrs Nelson Bros, in the circular you have forwarded, and wo learn with great pleasure they huve seen their way to meet your wishes as far ns possible by offering to adyauce, to the ; farmers, up to 4d per lb.'on priiiio mutton, (id less oii ewe or second-cluss mutton, and more on lamb), all freezing and other charges to be undertaken for on mutton, and 2Jd on lamb, out of this advance, shipper getting offal; this is about equivalent to the farmer receiving ljd ;ptir lb. oil prime wethers. This seeing* tn" ua to be a very favourable otfor, and we believe the general experience, in- Hawkes Bay and the South, is that shippers who consign on their own account, to the London market, obtain better returns tlmn by se.Hinp their meat in the colony, therefore, so far as this company is concerned, we shall prefer adopting this course in view of the special facilities now offered by tho Auckland Freezing Company. Thanking you for calling our attention to this matter, etc." Numerous letters were read from Colonel Dowell ra the proposed freezing works at Tanranga, in which the following replies to questions nsked hy the Club, were given :—1. "That Messrs Nelson Bros, cannot take beef in lieu of mutton. 2. Sheep must be insoocted in Messrs Nelson Bros, yards at Tauranpa, and delivery can only be accepted there. 3. The question of how many the Tauranga settlers would guarantee had not been considered, as it would be diftiI cult to dictate to the several producers .'the proportion any one part of the district should he expected to furnish. What we want to do, is t<> arrive at a guarantee from the whole neighbourhood of a minimum of 25,000 sheep per annum, so as to induce Messrs Nelson Bros, to undertake and start the business. 4. The subject of putting the road from Cambridge to Tauranga in a fit Htate for tha travelling of slock has been before tho Tanrunga County Council, and it was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the Chairman (Mr Jonathan Brown) to communicate with the Piako County Council, ,with a view to that body putting their district road in the desired condition, the Ttturanga County C mncil undertaking to place the road in their county in tv proper state directly anything definite was arrived at with Messrs Nelson Bros." A further communication from Colonel Unwell, under dale March 25th, stated: — " I write to ask if it could be arranged for Messrs Brown, Pratt and myself to meet you and as many of your County Council and lending sheep-owners who are favourable to the freezing project as you can get together, on Saturday, the sth prox., at 12 o'clock, to dweuss the matter and exchange views, so ns to try and bring the scheme into a practical shape; also, any question as regards the road for driving sheep. Wβ should then be in a better position to approach Messrs Nelson Bros., and so come to a definite understanding. I shall be obliged if you will send me a telegram as soon as possible to say if this proposal can be carried out, and we would then make our arrangements for starting, so as to bo with you on the above named date. I should leave hereby steamer on Wednesday for Auckland, and reach you by train, whilst the others would go by road, so as to ascertain what would require to be done to make it available for sheep travelling. The Chairman said Mr E. B. Walker had not been deputed to ask the Freezing Company to offer similar terms to those quoted by Messrs Nelson Bros. What he offered

to do was to interview some of the directors of the Loan and Mercantile Company, and also of the Bank, and endeavour to get them to support the Tauranga scheme, so Mr Lawry must have been misinformed. If freezing works were established atTauranfta the farmers would hare a second market, and one to which they could send their stock at a small expense. They must look to the future and he believed the work could be done cheaper at Tauranga than at Auckland, and any amount of paddoeking could be had at a low rate. They must also bear in mind that it was Nelson Brothers' offer which had caused the Freezing Company to reduce their charges, and he thought in fairness they should support the firm who had assisted them. He believed the bank authorities would support the Tanranga scheme. Mr K. Reynolds thought it desirable to get the deputation over, and keep the thing going. Hβ thought they all knew how much good the Loan and Mercantile had been to the country, and therefore he need not expatiate upon their doings. Many people said Tauranga was a rotten district, but it has a back country thpt when developed would support many thousands of sheep. He believed in healthy competition, and that was what they should have if Nelson Brothers came to Tauranga. Mr Runciman was anxious to see the works at Tauranga, but thought there were two fatal objections, viz., the refusal to lake beef, and the sheen being rejected at the yards. At the same time he thought it advisable to meet the deputation. It was pointed out that Nelson Brothers bad not refused to take beef, but refused to take it in lieu of the required guarantee of sheep. Mr Wells said if sheep of a certain weight were wanted, the companies would often refuse sheep that were a few pounds over weight. ' The Chairman thought farmers could judge snfficirtntly near the weight to avoid that difficulty. The farmers should bear in mind that if they did not get quite the local market piico on what they exported, they would probably get an enhanced price for what they did sell in the local market. Mr John I'isher thought they must mind and not "come to the ground between two stools." After further discussion it was eventually resolved " That this Club arrange to meet Messrs Brown, Pratt, and Dowell of Tanranga on Saturday next, at 3 p.m. ; and that the Hamilton branch be invited to send delegates to attend a preliminary meeting of the executive committee at 1.30 p.m. on same data.