Chathams Freezing Works Plan May Be Abandoned

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29262, 21 July 1960, Page 7

Chathams Freezing Works Plan May Be Abandoned

[From Our Parliamentarv Xeporter]

WELLINGTON, July 20. Because of the capital cost the Government’s plan for a freezing works at the Chatham Islands will probably be abandoned. -4. ■ re P°rt of the Island Territories Department tabled in the Representatives said: the Agriculture Department has prepared a fuU report on the prospect of shipping frozen meat from the Chathams, but the estimated cost of etsablishing a meat export slaughterhouse and freezer IS in the vicinity of £320 000. ‘A capital outlay of this magniwue would be disproportionate to the amount of stock now avail-?-!t’ or * ikel y to be available within the next 10 years, even it production is greatly increased. This proposal and alternatives more in keeping with local con'kJ.!™? being considered. • Wlt *? this disposal problem in view, the Government provided special air transport last March to enable representatives of an overseas company to investigate the possibility of shipping lambs from the Chathams to the Ameri--71’ rk ?t' Jt appears, however, that the class of lamb required is not offering in sufficient numbers ■"d s unlikely to become available unless farming methods are changed.

. “The same American company is interested in purchasing eattle

for the Australian market and arrangements are being made to ■hip 1000 head of run cattle, probably in February, 1961.

“There is an annual surplus of older sheep offering In the Chathams, but their disposal is likely to remain a problem until either the Canterbury market improves or some economic processing method can be found. Wool is still the mainstay of the Chatham Islands economy.” _