NEW FREEZING WORKS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 25, 6 March 1914, Page 11

NEW FREEZING WORKS.

CHRISTCHURCH MEAT CO.'S OPERATIONS. NEW WORKS AT PUKEURI. A luncheon to celebrate the erection of the new freezing works at Pukeuri, Oamaru, was given at the works yesterday by the Christcliurch Meat -Company. There were over a thousand people present, and the huge cool stores, with rows and rows of tables, were taxed to their utmost to accommodate Lhe large crowd who responded to the Invitation of the company. A large of people interested in the meat business went down to Pukeuri by the first express yesterday, and were conveyed back by special train. The management did everything possible to ensure the success of the gathering, aud is i,o be congratulated upon its success. Among those present were: Messrs H. A. Knight (chairman of directors), Teschemaker, H. J. Beswick, J. Roberts, C. M. G. and Hon. F. Wigram, M.L.C. The' Ministry was represented by the Hon. W. Fraser.

After the loyal toast had been honoured, the chairman read a telegram from the Prime Minister, "who said he was unable to be present owing to the pressure of public business. In welcoming those present the chairman said the extension of the company's business in North Otago had rendered the new works necessary. The policy of the company had always been to have the best wherever possible, and he could say that the Pukeuri works were certainly the most up-to-date in the Dominion. The management would always gladly welcome visitors to their works, as they wished their methods to be seen by the public. He proposed the toast of the Ministry.

f On rising to respond, the Minister of i Public Works was given a flattering reception. He said it was most pleasant to meet suali a lmge gathering of farmers on such an occasion; He amplified the apology of the Prime Minister, who was first arid foremost a farmer, and whose sympathies were largely with his fellow farmers. The Government, though, was not in power in the interest of any one class, but to forward the well-being of the Dominion as a whole. He impressed upon the audience the; fact that he could only do what the limitations of the public purse would allow, so far as his own department was concerned. This necessitated him saying "No" to many requests, requests which reasonable, and this went against his grain. He accepted the toast on behalf of the Ministry, and though his visit- had, no- political significance he thanked them all for the kindly way it had been received.. 1 The toast of the "Frozen Meat Industry" was proposed by Mr W. Gardiner, jun., of Papakaio. The commencement of the industry had found the farmers in a bad way he said. In the early eighties sheep that wtfre worth 22/- per head to-day were not worth more than 4/- to 5/- per head, the fat lamb business was unheard of, except for the few required to satisfy our own requirements, and the sheep sold to-day at from 12/- to 15/- per head went for boiling down purposes at from- 1/- to 3/- per head. He paid a tribute to the late Thos. Brydone, of Southland, and the late Mr John. Reid of Elderslie for the part they had played in establishing an industry which could fairly be said to have benefited every man, woman, and child in the Dominion. He expressed the hope that the new works would be well supported. '

Mr J. Roberts, C.M.G., in responding gave some interesting history in connection with the early launching of the industry. Experimental shipments of frozen mutton were first made by the late Mr S. G. Mort, of Sydney, who sent a shipment as early' as i 879 in the '' Strathleven,'' which was successful". This was succeeded by a shipment which was sent by the s.s. /' Protos,-'' and the cargo was sold on the London market in 1881 for the excellent price of 7+d per lb. The New Zealand and Australian Land Company having ascertained that Mr Mort's shipments had been successful, took up the idea of making a shipment from New Zealand* and Mr Brydone (the Colonial general manager of that company) went to Australia to make all enquiries as to/how Mr Mort's cargo had been handled. These enquiries resulted in the Land Company arranging for the despatch of the sailing ship '' Dunedin'' fitted with a freezing machine and insulated chambers. Mr Davidson, general manager of the Land Company in Scotland, followed the '' Dunedin'' out, and he and Mr Brydone, assisted by Mr John M 'Pherson, of Totara, superintended the work of slaughtering and shipment. Slaughtering was done at Totara, and the meat was railed to Port Chalmers for freezing and shipment on board the "Dunedin.", Things, however, did not run very smoothly at first, as the crank shaft of the freezing machine broke when some 1500. carcases were on .board. These had to be sold locally, so that it fell to Dunedin residents to be the first consumers of New Zealand frozen meat. After repairs were completed, the freezing on board and stowing re-commenced and were successfully completed. The cargo arrived in London in excellent condition, thanks to the great care and attention of the late Captain Whitson, who commanded the "Dunedin."

The sheep-owners who joined in that early venture were the New Zealand and Australian Land Company,, who sent 3473 sheep, 497 lambs; Jas. R. Elder, 241 carcases; J. H. Smith, 100; Jas. Shand, 249; and Murray Roberts and Co. 349.

The Dunedin took her departure from Port Chalmers on the 15th day of February, 18S2. The result of the sale in Loudon was most satisfactory, the muttou and lamb averaging per lb. The expenses were, however, so heavy that only a little over 3 l-3d per lb was netted, leaving the charges to amount to • almost 3d per lb. This, in the light of present experience, seems very high, as all charges on the sale of mutton now only amount to lid per lb., and on lamb from 1 3-5 d to 1 7-10 d according to weight. In spite of the high charges, the net result of the shipment of these carcases by the Dunedin for mutton, skins, fat, etc., was 22/3 for sheep and 12/-

for lambs. The success" of the Dunedin encouraged further shipments by this vessel, anil these continued until the' ship was lost with all hands in 1890. the ship having sailed from Oamaru on ! March 19 of that year and was never heard bf again.

A second sailer, the Mataura, was fitted up by the New Zealand Shipping Company, under the command of Captain Greenstreet, who is so well known in the New Zealand .shipping trade at the present time, and she took the second cargo from New Zealand, sailing from Port Chalmers on June 12, 1882, the cargo having been frozen on board. The Dunedin can be considered as representing the ownership of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, as she was owned by the Albion Company prior to the amalgamation of that company with the Shaw, Savill Company, and the Mataura was owned by the New Zealand Shipping Company, so that to these two firms, now dominant factors in New Zealand.shipping, credit is due for having provided shipping facilities in" the earliest stages of the frozen meat industry; Following these two sailers, shipments were made by steamers, and during the 12 months ending June :>O, 1883, these consisted of the following:—s.s. Marsala 8306 carcases, Sorento 5838, Fenstanton 7840, lonie 9591, and in addition the Dunedin carried 8295 carcases on her second voyage. From this small beginning in 1882, r.he present industry" has grown until last year we reaehed a total of 5,773,549 sheep and lambs. In eonelusion, speaker paid a tribute to the late Mr J. C. N»'Grigg, of Longbeach, Mr W. Nelson of Hawke's Bay, and Sir Walter Buchanan of Wairarapa, for the part they had played in the establishment of the. meat export industry which has contributed so largely to our prosperity. , Mr T. Teschemaker also responded. Mr W. Livingstone, chairman of the Waitaki County Council, and Mr Frith, Mayor of Oamaru, proposed the toast of "The Christchurch Meat C 0.," to which the chairman of directors (Mr Ik A. Knight) responded.