FREEZING OF DAIRY PRODUCE. PROPOSED WORKS AT WELLINGTON.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 147, 22 June 1904, Page 2

FREEZING OF DAIRY PRODUCE. PROPOSED WORKS AT WELLINGTON.

(By Telegraph.) (From Our tSppcial Correspondent). I'AL.UEKSTON NORTH, 21st June. To-day the question of (he establishment of co-opcialivc freezing works in Wellington lor dairy produce wius befoie tiio National Dairy Association. As the lCsulfc o£ an expression of opinion taken by tho Chairman (.Mr. J. \V. Foreman), -Mr. J. G. Uaikness, the HecieUry, delivered an address on thesubject. He reiei-red to the fact that mi iird March last a meeting convened here to deal with the mailer parsed a resolution favouring the establishment by the dairying industry of its own lieoziug works in Wellington. Ho hiuuelf hrtjl been commissioned to investigate tho qutMion, and ho found it had- been difhcult to, obtain a satisfactory site. Soma people- had suggested that a, hulk might bo procured for tho purpose, but it was possible that the Government would object to the hulk as being unsuitable. In an interview with the Harbour Board authorities ho had learned that tho Hoard would not have a fcito available for two years. It was undeistood that tho WoLington Meat Export Company's works were for sale, but personally he considered that the best site was that occupied by the Ulack Swan factory. Dealing with tho economic sido of the question, he pointed out that last year 160,000 more boxes had boon exported from Wellington than from New Plymouth, and this afc 7d a box would amount to over £4600, and he was confident that works in Wellington would earn in a year £6000, or half the cost of tho works. Producers had to face the possibility of paying in tho future all the freezing charges, and the question wa« whether the producers were prepared to pay theso charges into other peop.e's pockets or to keep them for themselves. After a suggestion that the Wellington people interested should call a special meeting to discuss the matter, and another suggestion that the Taranaki peoplo should furnish figures bearing on the subject of profits, it was decided, on Mr. .vt'Farlano's motion, that tho question should be refcuvd to a meeting of representatives of factories in Wellington und Hnwkes Bay. Iv the evening a meoling of producers was held to consider tho question, und a prolonged discussion took place. Mr. Griffiths, Taranaki, elated that tlie success of the schemo was assured, and the banks should give assistance very readily. Mr. David Nathan spoke several times, and advocated that producers t>houlfl adopt, ono of two coure-cs which ho suggested, namely — that tho, factories might approach tho Wellington Meat Export Company with a view to tho purchase of its works, which it was understood might bo sold at a fair price hy tho company, which would make the salo rathe,! 1 than face or encourage the competition of a co-operative freezing works. On the other hand, the Wellington H.arbour Bonrd might be. interviewed, ns it was possible it might buy tho Export Company's works if factories would give a guarantee for ft number of vctirs. Ho pointed out tlmt the Hnrbnur uouril was not run for privnto profit. Eventually a Committee, consisting of Messrs. I). Nnthan (Chairman), vMacfarlniif, T. A. Hudson, J. Ronjill, Yeunp. V,, P. BJnko, nnd Whitnker, w«s set up to enquire into the question of providing for freezing nnd storage of dairy produce at Wellington and to report at a future meeting.