BACON CURING.

Bush Advocate, Volume XII, Issue 1753, 28 September 1899, Page 4

BACON CURING.

A nieeti.if? of representatives from the Christchurch Meat Comp my and the Co operative Bacon Curing Companies ol Fei'.ding and Manawatu waa held at Palmerstnn North on {Saturday, 23rd inst. Mr J. D. Anderson, of 'Wellington, represented the Christchurch Meat Company, and Messrs Carr, BaiUy, Taylor, and Goodbehere represented the Feilding company, ell the direclors ot the Manawatu Co. being present Air A. McHardy occupied the chair. Tbe gentlemen present represented the farming aod dairy interests of large and progressive districts iu the North Island, taking in southern Hawke's Bay, part of the Wairarapa district, and the rich alluvial basins of the Manawatu, Oroua, and Raugitikei rivers. The object of tlie meet'ng was to consider tbe advisability of amalgamating the three companies. After a long and interesting discussion it was decided to recommend to the shareholders of j the various companies that 'i new company be formed, based on cooperative - principles, which will combine the interests of the three companies. Under the proposed arrangement the new company will secure the business of the Christchurch Meat Co. in the North Islan.l, together with the sole patent rights of the company in the North Island in the ' Morepork' orocess of curing bacon. The company also acquires the plant j and new works recently erected at I Woodville for the Christchurch Meat Co. The 'Morepork' brand, as is well known, always commands a ready sale and its popularity shows that the process produces bacon unrivalled in the southern hemisphere. Immediate steps are to be taken to place the shares of the new company on the market, and a draft prospectus bks already been drawn up and approved cf by the sub-committee appointed for that purpose. Tbe company will be worked solely in the interests of the farming producers, and for that purpose will be run on the same co - operative principles as those adopted by the taccessful cooperative dairy companies in the olony. Interest on paid up capital will be paid to the shareholders at the rate of £6 per cent per annum. The following are the provisional directors of the proposed company :— Messrs A. McHardy, S. Luxford, J. B. Clarkson, J. Jarvis, H. J. Manson, S. R. Lancaster, T. R. Rodder, C. Ander son, S, Knight, T. R. Taylor, W. A. L. Bailey, C. Wheeler, C. Oarr, W. Norton, L. Holder, H. Booth, W. Reid, F. Y. Lethbridge, M.H.R., E. Nix, W. C. Cunningham, W. G. Pearce, E. T. Harrison, J. Darragh, W. Vickery, A. Dormer, P. Carrity, W. Mills, W. Mitchell, G. E. Prince, J .Young, J. D. Anderson. J. B. Tait, E. Goodbehere, C. T. Hall, and W. H, Nelson. The capital of the new company was fixea at .£lO,OOO in 4000 shares of £2 10s ;ach, payable as follows :~2s 6d per share on application, 2s 6d on allotment and balance in calls not exceeding 5s per share at intervals of not less than three months. The following appointments w^re unanimously made :— Bankers, Bank of New Zealand ; solicitor, Andrew Guy; secretary (pro tein), James CopelamJ. It will be seen that the continued efforts made by the promoters of the various companies are now to be crnwneil with success, and the distriers concerned are to be congratulated on the enterprise, energy, and public spirit displayed by the prominent and practical men * who have taken the matter in hand. It is an indisputable point that the dairy and pig raising industries go together and bring prosperity. Woodville, Palmer - stou North, Feilding, and Pahiatua must necessarily bethecentres of large dairying districts and it is a significant fact. that, several -thousand— acre«- in these localities of undoubtedly thebest land in the colony are now being cut up for close settlement. The meeting of the delegates was cordial and enthusiastic, and each of the gentlemen present promised his personal assistance to make the company a success.