TEST FOR TIMARU

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31549, 11 December 1967, Page 1

TEST FOR TIMARU

Port Meat Loading

(From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU, Dec. 10. The New Zealand Shipping Company’s 8800-ton freighter Tekoa will on Tuesday begin loading meat to inaugurate the meat diversion scheme in the South Island.

The scheme for supplying London and Liverpool through the conveyors means that nine freezing companies from Bumside to North Canterbury will load out for export through Timaru. This will channel about 65,000 tons of meat for the two United Kingdom ports through Timaru during this meat-killing season.

The Railways Department is confident it has the rolling stock and train service required, the Timaru Waterside Workers’ Union is geared to play its part, and the freezing works are certain they can meet all requirements. The chairman of the Timaru Harbour Board (Mr E. W. D. Unwin) sees the Timaru-Bluff meat loading scheme as a challenge to all organisations associated with the waterfront industry, for the board’s four mechanical loaders will be required to handle an average of 500 tons of meat a day. The programme for the first six months provides for 16 ships to load at Timaru, and some vessels have been asked to pull in under the loaders as the preceding ship leaves.