Patea Meat Tinning Works.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1774, 7 November 1887, Page 2

Patea Meat Tinning Works.

Messrs. W. 6. White and J. Livingston, the representatives of Hawera district appointed to assist in arranging terms with Mr. Oldham re the conditions on which a bonus of £1500 was to be given to him, attended a meeting at Patea on Saturday.

Among those present were Messrs. Christie, Adams, Winks, Lysaght, Ross, Wilkie, F. Symes, Pearce, Cowern, Kemuthorne, White, Livingston, and W. Wilson (in the chair).

Conditions similar to those arranged at Hawera were agreed to, Mr. Oldbam undertaking to slaughter at the rate of 150 sheep or 15 bead of horned cattle per day for six months, and at the rate of 80 sheep per day or eight head of cattle during the remaining six months of the year, this being equal to a guarantee of about 350,000 sheep or 3500 head of cattle in the year. The following trustees haying charge of the fund were appointed : — J. Livingston, H. F. Christie, and W. Wilson.

Tbe site has not been definitely fixed, out it is understood that it will be somewhere close to the Patea rail way station. Mr. Palmer, formerly chairman of the directors of the Patea Meat Freezing Company, offered a site near the railway free of rent.

An opinion was strongly expressed by one of the committee that it would be impossible to carry on the works on the proposed scale satisfactorily, except a refrigerator were obtained.

Mr. Oldham said he had carried on meat preserving works in Wellington and elsewhere successfully without Buch machinery, and could do so again. He should prefer to have a refrigerator, as it was a great assistance, but could not see his way to get one at first. In hot weather he could not corn meat before tinning, but he could tin it fresh.

In the course of conversation Mr. Oldham was taxed with having been less outspoken as to big intentions when at Hawera than he was at Patea.

Mr. Oldunm explained that he had not up to the date of tbe Hawera meeting been able to study the railway tariff now in force on this coast. He had gone into the matter after the Hawera meeting, but before tbe meeting at Patea, and he bad satisfied himself that the tariff rates were bo high that he must build tbe works either at or close to Patea. He oonld aow see that the charge brought against him of a want of candor could fairly be urged, but hoped his explanation would satisfy guarautors. The terms and conditions between the parties were satisfactorily arranged.