NICHOL'S SLAUGHTER-YARDS AND BOILING DOWN WORKS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume VI, Issue 1100, 25 August 1885, Page 2

NICHOL'S SLAUGHTER-YARDS AND BOILING DOWN WORKS.

We have so frequently had occasion to say hard things about Messrs. Nichol and Law's late slaughter-yards at the back of the Hawera school that we welcomed the removal to better and more commodious premises with pleasure. Mr. Nichol, in whose hands the business now is, has been at considerable expense to fit up slaughtering and boiling down woiks thoroughly and well. The leasehold of about 30 acres which he has secured is situated close to the main road on the Waingongoro river, and drainage and water supply is of the best description. The buildings, which have been erected comprise a lower storey 42 feet by 22 feet, in which are situated a large boiler and vat for melting down tallow, with smaller vats fitted with steam pipes for making neatsfoot oil, &c. The building is strongly constructed, the lower floor being laid with Gin x 2in and the upper with sin x 2in joists. The walls are 10ft high. The boiler is set on a concrete foundation, which rests on a bed of natural concrete or cement formation, which is as solid as a rock itself. The upper floor consists of a room 24ft x 12ft, where hides, tallow, or sheepskins may be stored ; a slaughter pon 12ft x 13ft, and a cooling-room 12ft x lift, these walls being built on a 12ft stud. The slaughter pen is a trifle low for convenience in pithing an animal, but could be raised for £2 or £3, so as to give ample head room for the slaughterman. This pen is strongly built, and the floor is laid with 2in planking. A shoot for the blood ami waste offal leads out into the back yard, and from the adjoining room a shoot leads into the tallow vat, so that the fat can be run clown iuto the vats of its own accord. The drainage is perfect, and the supply of water iuexhaustible. When we went over the buildiug,. although it had been for some weeks in full working order, it was quite free from any obnoxious odora, Water was in plentiful supply ; a superior force pump, driven by a fly wheel, forces water up to the top of the building, and the pens and floors can be readily flooded out whenever required. The builiiings are roofed with corrugated iron, and appear to have been well and faithfully built throughout by Messrs. Clarson and Burbush. The whole building has evidently been planned so as to save unnecessary labor aad make the work as light as possible. Mr. Nichol informs us that if it were desired to add a tinning plant at any time, it could easily be done, and at small cost. The site is a little farther from Hawera than is quite convenient; but it has many advantages which naore than counterbalance this slight drawback. We have no doubt that the venture should prove remunerative to the firm which has invested so much capital on the works. Seeing that the last lot of beef of prime quality was bought at about 12s per 1001b, the trade ought to be a paying one.