NEW FREEZING STORE

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 57, 9 March 1922, Page 8

NEW FREEZING STORE

DAIRY FARMERS' ENTERPRISE

Freezing stores for butter, and cool stores for cheese, are now owned and controlled by fanners at New Plymouth, Auckland, Bluff, and Wellington. They are' for the exclusive use of co-operative dairy companies for the reception and storage of produce against shipment. The latest, that of the Co-operative Dairy Producers' Freezing Company,' is in Wellington. It is not yet officially opened, but has been in operation for some weeks. Its completion was timely, as owing to delays in shipping, a certain amount of produce had accumulated in Wellington, and the works were, fortunately, so far advanced as to be ready to receive it. .

This important addition to the industrial buildings of Wellington is situated close to the Tipitea Wharf (in course of construction) and a few yards from the King's and Glasgow whaisves with their ocean steamer berths. The works are connected with the railway service by their own siding, so that the produce ican be run. by rail right into the stores and under cover without any intermediary handling from the time it, leaves the country • station. \ , Accommodation is provided in the store for 35,000 to 40,000 boxes of butter and 40,000 to 50,000 crates of cheese. It is already holding. 24,000 boxes of butter and 6000 to 7000 crates of cheese. Wherever possible man-handling of the produce is avoided. There are electric elevators for both butter and cheese, and gravity rollers for use in loading and. discharge. ■ Every device suitable for the cheap and efficient handling of the butter and cheese in the store has been installed, anditis claimed that in equipment the new store is in advance of anything of the kind in New Zealand. All power, is electric, direct current ■ being derived from the City Council for the present, but ultimately the hydroi electric current from Mangahao will be used.,, .'.. -„ ' . .-* There are four floors to the building, ■which is constructed of • steel and concrete. The machinery is of the latest type. The refrigerating capacity of each of-the two machines is 75 tons. The two Haslam air-compressora are of 130 horse-power' each. <■ The electric equipment has been supplied by the English Electric Company. ;> •: These 1 new works also house Government graders, who will deal'with the produce coming in for export. . The Co-operative Dairy Producers Freezing Company was formed some time ago to take over the freezing works oh Waterloo-quay; owned by the Wellington Meat Export Company, and also that company's lease on the Thorndon reclamation. The old works, are'runmng in conjunction with the new. "The secretary is Mr. J. G. Harkness, and the engineer, Mr. Cross. . ■.