FREEZING INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 145, 22 June 1938, Page 20

FREEZING INDUSTRY

SOUTHLAND FARMERS

NEW WORKS CONTEMPLATED

I (By Telegraph—Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, June 21. A meeting of farmers in Invercargill all day today and again this evening discussed a proposal to apply for a licence to establish a new freezing works in Southland. Tomorrow they will meet members of the Meat Board, when the. case for and presumably against the granting of an additional licence will be "stated. During the past few weeks meetings have been .held in various parts of the province and delegates were appointed to attend a meeting held in Invercargill at 9 o'clock this morning. An hour later the provincial executive of the Farmers' Union held a special meeting, and at 2 o'clock a big-meeting, convened by the Farmers' Union, took place.

Difference of opinion between the two sections was apparent at the afternoon meeting. Members of the executive of the Farmers' Union had not rached finality on the best remedy to overcome the disadvantage experienced by fat lamb growers, but delegates from country meetings announced that they had decided definitely to demand a licence for another works. The Farmers' Union executive refused to adopt this view and a deadlock was reached,. Both, sections held separate meetings this' evening. The Canterbury Freezing Company, which-has been described as "95 per cent, a farmers' concern," is, it is understood, keenly interested in the question of a new licence for Southland, and, along with at least three other companies or syndicates, is prepared to erect a new works in the province if the Meat Board , decides that another one is necessary. An Otago freezing company, described as a farmers' .concern, as well as a firm in Gore and another in Winton, are also stated to be applicants for any licence that .may be issued by the' board. Two companies have been operating in Southland for many years, the Southland Frozen Meat Co., Ltd., which owns works at Makarewa and Mataura, and the Ocean Beach Company, Ltd., whose works,are near Bluff. At Balclufha, 'ori''the'b'otder 'of the province, is'' the South Otago Company's works,