MEAT TINNING-.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1753, 13 October 1887, Page 2

MEAT TINNING-.

We remind settlers living to the South of Hawera, of the meeting to be held in Patea to-morrow, to consider Mr. Oldham's proposals re the erection of meat tinning works. Since the Hawera meeting, we have made enquiries amony men who by their position and knowledge of matters financial, should be able to form an opinion worthy of weight, as to the soundness of the proposals made to settlers here. They are agreed that the offer is reasonable and fair, and that any man coming into a district and investing a considerable capital in a business which is exposed to great risk, and which, does not apparently promise great profits, has a right to ask and to expect financial support from those who, jointly with himaelf, hope to benefit by the erection of such works. It was our intention to deal with the subject at greater length, and to touch upon the many minor local advantages, more especially to smaller farmers, to be obtained by the erection of local works. Pressure on our space interferes. We would, however, urge upon Mr. Oldhaui, that before fixing upon any site, he should explore the whole of the area between Stratford and Patea within easy reach of the railway. The Plains and the district at the back will shortly supply an enormous quantity of meat. The roads therefrom converge to Hawera and to Normanby, and centrality of position and closeness to the chief sources of supply, are admitted by Mr. Oldham to be matters which have to be considered. It is also right that before any site is determined upon, the claims and relative advantages of all parts of the district should be thoroughly ascertained and taken into account. So strongly do some of the settlers feel upon this point, that they aver that once the site were fixed upon, if it should prove to be within eight or ten miles of Hawera, subscriptions would flow in freely to the amount required, instead of their being squeezed out in unwilling doles by drops and driblets as they now are. As to the extra freights to be paid, they say : It is better for us to pay extra freight and sacrifice a shilling or two per lOOlba on our cattle than to pay a tax which we cannot guage on the quality, in waste of meat in driving, and of money in driving fees. The indirect advantages of a large local industry will also largely help to repay such an extra freight. There has been some slackness in subscribing to the bonus ; the chief reasons for that slackness are not " hard-uppishness " or Btinginess, but simply an earnest desire for local works and a strong belief in the force and justice of the claims which this part of the district can honestly urge for local works,after allowing the fullest possible weight to the rival claims which the Patea district can urge as to its superior advantages in water carriage, nearness to Wellington market, and the like. Hawera settlers believe that, if judged on their respective merits, Hawera can give Patea perfect fair play and a good beating. Patea people can be depended upon to make out a good case for themselves.