PATEA FREEZING WORKS

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 13 October 1931, Page 8

PATEA FREEZING WORKS

Origin and Progress GREAT ASSET TO DISTRICT Before there were any Works established ui the Patea district representatives ol Air. James Gear travelled the district and bought settlors’ stock' for freezing. Later the Goar Meat Company and the Wellington Meat Export Company did similar work, Mr. Martin Bairn 'oemg one ol the cany representatives of the latter company. He settled in Hawera later and hou.ht stock for a great number of yeans, then the Meat Preserving Company, which was in operation until the works were destroyed by tire.. Among the settlers who took a leading part iu fostering the industry in those early days were Messrs. W. \\ dson. J. Livingston, J. Lvsaght, It. B. Hamilton. M. F. Christie, J. Gibson A. Palmer, G. H. Norman and McLean. The place of the company was taken bv Mr. O. W. Oldham, with the Western Packing and Canning Company. He also formed the first butter factory and bought milk at per gallon and eleven pounds weight and from this venture was started the V\ lienuakura Dairy Company. Mr. Oldham sold out to Messrs. Thomson and Darling and later Messrs. Nolan Tonics and Co. secured a controlling interest in the freezing interests.

In 1910 tlie present company was formed, the directors being Messrs. TV. D. Powdrell (chairman), W. Brewer, R. Bremer, G. Murtagh, R. H. Nolan, A. T. Wills ail'd J. F. Williamson. They embarked during the next few years in a policy of expansion and the works were steadily enlarged to cope with the rapidly increasing business and two .steamers were, bought and profits were made for some years. In addition to the works, which eventually covered lour acres of ground, the company built concrete cottages for some of the staff owing to the shortage of housing accommodation. The slump of 1921 hit the company and severe losses were sustained and the of the steamer Wnitangi was also a severe blow. Mr C. J. Hawken became chairman in 1921. and was succeeded by Mr C. D. Dickie, who has Been at the helm during 10 strenuous years and _ has now just arrived hack from a- trip to England undertaken in the interests of the company and of the farming industry generally, in an endeavour to secure the best market for the stock bought or frozen on owners’ interests.'

Various improvements were made aud in recent years a railway siding was constructed, a plan by which much expense of carriage was saved. The capital lias been increased from time to time and now lias reached a very large sum, but it lias been impossible, in the face of strong opposition, to make profits. Still, the company’s operations have been a- valuable asset to the district. The operations have meant a very great deal to the district.

One of th<> new ventures entered upon by the company, and for which Mr Dickie was very largely responsible. was the “bobby calf” business, which he. on behalf of the company, commenced in the face of very keen 1 opposition and despite the discouragement due to iflio want of co-operation by the Government. However, Mr Dickie was persistent, and eventually permission was given to export a small shipment, and the business was sueoessfnl and has grown to very large figures—from 14,000 head of stock in 1927 to .52.110 in 1930. The honour of initiating that useful industry which made the reject calves of the dairy farmers worth something fairly substantial belongs to Patea and to Mr Dickie, under whose aegis the method of dealing with the calves was initiated and carried to a successful issue. The other companies of the Dominion were allowed to send representatives to learn the process at Patea. The growth of the company since 1910 is .shown by the fact that in 1911 t.hev put through 27.764 sheep and lambs and 5675 cattle, while in 1930 1 these had grown to 171.460 and 6670 I respectively. The works cover five I acres of ground, and the capacity is J 3009 sheep. 150 cattle, and 400 pigs [per day, while the company ha-s, at j Patea and other places as far away 'as Opunake, in all 200 acres of holding paddocoks. A part of the history of the company was, the formation several years ago of the subsidiary buying company, formed hv the people of the district and which has since been operating in conjunction with the parent company. Rut the meat freezing industry has for some wears experienced very ha yd times, and Patea, in common with many other works built during or just after the war, has experienced many difficulties. For several years Mr A. X. Williams has been manager and secretary of the company.

Society (15 brunches excluding; Patea). £2450; St. John Ambulance and Red Cross, £1150; Homes (12), £1250; Orphanages (10), £900; Charitable Societies, £1175; Hospitals (excluding Patea), £575; Nurses’ Superannuation Fund, £550; Prisoners’ Aid Societies, £200; Blind Institutes, £200; Girl Guides, £200; Seamen’s Rest, £SO; Waver ley Community Rooms (piano fund). £25.