Chch freezing works take precautions

Press, 13 February 1981, Page 3

Chch freezing works take precautions

■ The two Christchurch freezing works, and the Can- 1 terbury Bye-Products abat- i toir, are taking precautions : recommended by the Min-1 istry of Agriculture after the 1 news of the suspected out- ! break. The managers of the Can- ; terbury Frozen Meat Compa- ’ ny’s Belfast works, and the Waitaki N.Z. Refrigerating Company’s Islington works, : said that all stock trucks were being thoroughly disinfected and checked before their departure.

At the abbatoir in Sockburn the gates had been locked overnight to prevent stock coming in, said the managing director of Canterbury Bye-Products, Mr A. S. Marshall. The precaution was taken on the advice of a resident Ministry supervising meat inspector. The manager of C.F.M.’s Fairfield freezing works, near Ashburton, Mr J. D. Barrell, said that a similar amount of care was being taken there.

“Everything is under very strict control, . like any other works,” he said. The Fairfield works were closer to Temuka, the centre of the suspected outbreak, than were the Belfast and Islington works, but no extra preventive measures were under way. Mr Barrell could not specify how much stock ’ came from the South Canterbury district to Fairfield for processing.