FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27989, 8 June 1956, Page 7

FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY

75TH ANNIVERSARY NEXT YEAR

CELEBRATION PLANS IN NORTH OTAGO “The Press' Special Service

OAMARU, June 7. The seventy-fifth anniversary of the opening of the frozen meat trade in New Zealand will be celebrated in February next year. At a meeting of interested Otago organisations in Oemaru, Mr J. H Mitchell, president of North Otago Federated Farmers, was appointed chairman of a committee to begin work on the preparations. Mr Mitchell told the meeting that suggestions for the observance included repairs to the Thomas Brydone memorial at Totara, the formation of

a road leading to the memorial, the planting of trees on the side of the hill, the placing of a memorial stone with a tablet on the roadside in place of the present signboard, and the transferring of the monument and ground to a natonal trust for preservation.

Other ideas includued the granting of an annual prize or bursary, a meeting at the old Totara homestead on Mr J. E. Ewing’s property on the day of the anniversary, and the gift of a parcel of lamb from New Zealand farmers for advertising purposes overseas.

Expressing the belief that every incentive should be given to the youth of New Zealand, Mr J. E. Ewing suggested that a bursary could be awarded to members of Young Farmers’ Clubs. Meat Board Interest

The New Zealand Meat Board had not given the matter any consideration, but he could assure the meeting that it would be sympathetic towards any proposal, said Mr T. Ruddenklau, who submitted several suggestions which had been prepared by the publicity officer of the board, but whi°h had not yet gone before the board for approval. included the issuing o* two special stamps by the Post Office.

The question of whether the celebrations should be concentrated in North Otago, from where the first sheen for shipment came or at Port Cha’m°r«, was raised by Mr W. Mal x colm. He felt that North Otago, being the central point, should be the venue. Mr Malcolm suggested that Mr Ruddenklau should be taken to Mr Ewing’s property to see for himself if the area lent itself to the proposed beautification. The site of the memorial was a natural look-out point and something to develop it along those lines could perhaps be undertaken The present notice board on the main highway did not serve its purpose and he thought that an entrance marked with white stone pillars should be constructed with the help of the meat board. The area could be improved and made a spot of which Otago would be proud.