FREEZING WORKS AT WAIKATO AND EAST COAST.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2776, 29 April 1890, Page 2

FREEZING WORKS AT WAIKATO AND EAST COAST.

to thk editor. Sin, —I notico in your columns a letter from Mr E. B. Cox on the subject of freezing works and Waikato and East Coast's ability to supply sheep for such purposes. Undoubtedly it is well to look this matter through catefully before committing ourselves to the scheme, but when we take into consideration that, with the aid of the Land Companies on the Eiist Coast and around Tauranga, if they freeze the whole of their surplus sheep we are informed on good authority they could supply 20,000 sheep and lambs, and that the Thames Valley Land Company have large operations going on only distant about 30 miles from Tauranga. This is a very fair start. The distance from Upper Waikato is 70 miles, not such an awful distance to drive sheep. A worthy "Settler" has recently sent his sheep to Auckland by road to freeze rather than pay the exorbitant charge of the railway, and Mr Hicks informs me that he purchased in Napier 500 sheep. They were driven from there to Cambridge, and then trucked to Auckland for freezing, and the late Mr Banks pronounced them to be the best-conditioned sheep he had received for shipping purposes. This should bo fair evidence that the distance is not the serious obstacle alluded to in your leader of the 2Gth inst. Seeing in this Nelson Bros.' proposal, we should have freezing works within possible driving distance of all the upper Waikato, and these works would considerably relieve the Auckland market of the produce of the East Coast, and place it within the power of all over and above the guarantee to avail themselves of which market suits them best. I am much surprised that a gentleman of so large a colonial experience as Mr Cox should advise the settlers of Waikato and the East Coast to wait until they have a surplus of 200,000 sheep before commencing to seek an outlet for their surplus stock, more especially when we have the Auckland Freezing Company for an additional guarantee of 10,000 sheep offer to extend their operations and give increased facilities, and Messrs Nelson Bros.' offer to start new works at Tauranga if guaranteed 25,000 sheep for four years. These figures are not large when you take into consideration the extent of grazing country they cover, and if these companies are content to make a start with these numbers I think the settlers certainly should raise no objections. Every encouragement should be offered to induce the agricultural and pastoral community to produce the sheep and with one company available for the Upper Waikato, Piako, Thames Valley, and the East Coast, and another for Central and Lower Waikato and Auckland, there is some hope of obtaining, through fair competition such advantages and encouragemeut that have not been placed before us until now, giving, to start with a definite and fixed value for our mutton, a basis for operations that has not been offered before in this province. Mr Cox's scheme for Waikato Farmers to start their own freezing works etc., is very excellent in theory, but very difficult to reduce to practice. This has been well ventilated at different times in Waikato, and if the matter is left in abeyauce until the farmers start freezing works, I think Mr Cox's views will be fully carried out and Waikato will remain in its present stagnant condition for a period of three years more. But I trust settlers generally will rise to the occasion and avail themselves of the offers now placed before them, and that the directors of the land companies may see that the settlers are in real oarnest in the matter, and join issue with them to get this important industry established. It has cost the southern farmers many thousands of pounds to attain what they have done, but they are reaping considerable advantages now. It is hardly reasonable to expect that we shall not meet with some disappointments and perhaps losses at first, but ultimately and in a very short time, we should find improved values for our flocks and herds, and our whole community pros perous, and our lands sought after at fait prioes, instead of as now with no market value, and settlers getting in a worse position every year —-Yours etc, CiEOUtiK E. Cubic. Cambridge, 2(ith April, 18110.