FARMERS AND FREEZING.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVI, Issue 145, 24 June 1902, Page 4

FARMERS AND FREEZING.

PRICE OF STOCK IN HAWKE'S

BAY.

There is every prospect, judging by the amount of support already promised, that, as a result of the dissatisfaction expressed by farmers at the prices they are getting from the freezing companies for their sheep, a freezing company on co operative lines will be started in Napier,

A public meeting of farmers, convened by Mr M. F Bourke, with this object in view, was largely attended last week, opportunity being taken of the presence in town of farmers from all parts of the province to attend the Agcicultural and Pastoral Society's annual meeting, and also the meeting of the Hawke's Bay Farmers' Co-opera-tive Association.

The convener pointed out that a lot of money which should be coming to Hawke's Bay now went elsewhere, and it was time the farmers got to work for themselves. The up-country people were anxious to support co operative freezing works. It was proposed to erect works capable of treating 2000 sheep per day, with a holding capacity of 40,000. The company would have a nominal capital of £50,000, it being estimated that the plant would cost £35,000. The number of shares would be 10,000 at £5 each, nothing being allowed whatever for promoters' shares. Certain London agents were already prepared to put capital into the proposed company, provided it were run on co-operative principles. By this was meant running fie works on the same terms as the Hawke's Bay Farmers' Co operative Association. The convener guaranteed to find a market for all the meat frozen by the company.

Mr G. P. Donnelly put the case from the sheep farmer's point of viewHe said he, like others, had been grumbling for years at the prices paid by Hawke's Bay buyers, and he had beon forced to send his sheep out of the province, selling them as stores, receiving something like 4s or 5s per head less than they were w©rth. He instanced 12,000 fat sheep of his for which 9s was offered and refused. Tbe Meat Export Company's buyer came up here and offered 12s for these same sheep. He delivered 6000. But then an arrangement was entered into by the Hawke's Bay companies that the Southern buyers should uob come further North than Woodvillo. He was told that if he could grow as good sheep as were grown in Canterbury he would get the price for them. He went to the expense of highly improving his land, so that the sheep could fatten well; still, the result was 9s in Hawke's Bay, in spite of the fact that a Canterbury expert who saw the sheep stated they were worth from 17s to 18s. Since then he had sold his sheep as stores. The time had arrived when the farmers should put their heads together. They were all grumbling;, but did nothing. A strong committee was formed, to obtain information and ascertain the actual amount of support forthcoming.