REFRIGERATING WORKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11999, 23 June 1902, Page 7

REFRIGERAT ING WORKS.

A few months: ago a movement, having for its object the establishment of local co-opera-tive freezing works, was instituted by several prominent farmers, who consider they do not receive equitable treatment in their dealings with the "Wellington companies, both as regards the price paid for sheep and the disposal of them. They complain, and complain lamentably, that they are not only underpaid for their sheep but they cannot get the animals off their hands at a convenient time. The promoters are now endeavouring to elicit the support of sheep breeders throughout the Wairarapa and Bush districts, and with that aim in view are holding meetings in various centres. The last meeting was held in the Mastertori Town Hall, when there was a representative gathering of farmers, and various speakers put the plain facts of the case before those present.

Mr. F. Perry, representing the Bush settlers, stated that the chief cause of dissatisfaction amongst the farmers was the difference in the price realised for North Island sheep when sent to Addington and the value obtained from the buyers of the Wellington companies. The desire of the promotor.* was not to come in conflict with the Wellington companies but, if possible, to ascertain and remedy the cause of such a disparity as from 4s to 6.1 in the value of sheep. As an instance he quoted the case of Mr. Buchanan, of Kumeroa." This farmer had a line of sheep for which he was offered lis 6d by the representative of a Wellington company. He refused to accept this offer, and eventually despatched the sheep to the Addington market. The very first offer received was 15s 3d, and subsequently the price realised was 16s Bd. If sheep realised such a price on the Addington market after being conveyed in train and boat, making a day or two on the road, there was surely something- wrong when they only fetched from 10s 6d to lis 6d locally. They had often been advised to grow quality sheep, and this many farmers had tried to do, but they found that it was this class the buyers refused to accept. Mr. Perry stated a peculiar fact about this matter of quality, that it was the very sheep rejected by the buyers that fetched the top prices when sent down to the Addington market. Therefore it was quite time that the farmers co-operated and made .some stand. . Mr. Buchanan had also purchased a line of two-tooths at the Pahiatua saleyards for 8s per head, and realised 13s 6d at Addington for them. If farmers grew good quality sheep they expected to be paid for them, and not paid on the lowest scale and the companies reap all the benefit. He attributed the low markets ruling to the monoply possessed by the Wellington companies. Another serious complaint was that buyers did not take all suitable sheep, and, as an instance, stated the experience of a Dreycrton settler who owned a flock of 200 sheep of mixed sexes. A Wellington buyer on going through the flock accepted 54 of the sheep only, but a dealer, who was not in the ring, coming along later, got 66 more, and paid is more per head. Mr. Perry also made reference to the block that occurred at the W.M.E. Company's works during the season just closed, which caused so much inconvenience and pecuniary loss to sheepowners. Sheep grown on turnips and rape in good condition for freezing had to be turned on to grass on account of the delay, and the result was that the animals were then not worth half the value they were before. Mr. R. Smith, of Pahiatua, spoke on the question, and maintained that the small farmers in the North Island were losing £200,000 annually on sheep, owing to the tinder-value paic* by the Wellington companies. In addition to this loss they were placed in the awkward position of invariably having their sheep held back whilst influential men had theirs sent on, to a good market. The small farmers have everything against them in the North Island, and it was time they bestirred themselves to endeavour to improve matters. .Sheep sent from the Wairarapa. to the Addington market always commanded a high price, as much as from 4s" to 6s in excess of the price obtained locally from the Wellington companies' buyers. The cause of this was what they wanted to investigate and try to remove, so that they may have a chance of .getting a fair value for their sheep. The only way out of the difficulty ho could see was to erect local co-operative works.

Mr. Buchanan, of Kumcroa, stated it was an absolute fact that iho Bush sheep realised from 4s to 6s more on the Addington market than was given locally, and he believed that Wellington was a better port than Cliristchurcli possesses. If all North Island sheep were affected in price to the extent lie had experienced it represented a considerable sum. The price farmers wanted lor their sheep was the value fetched, at Addington, loss the cost of preparing and carriage, but they would not succeed in getting that so long as they deal under tho existing conditions. His opinion was that all the farmers throughout the colony should combine, have their meat put through factories, uniformly graded, and sent Home, just the same as an owner would send Home on his own account. Mr. J. Brain, of Carterton, after referring to the vicissitudes of the W.M.E. Company and its original formation, and how a devoted band of pioneers put their money into the concern, said the real question before them was, in his opinion, "How best the interests of farmers may be improved without injury to the company which hod done, so much to establish a frozen meat industry oh a sound basis?" He suggested that the company should cease to be buyers of sheep, and should stop consigning on owners' account, that all sheep for freezing should be sent down to the company on consignment and graded to finality; that the company fix an advance for each grade and pay" the same to farmers as promptly as possible: that every consignee take tin shares, 'and various other suggestions. He thought it might appear presumptuous, after the shareholders have taken the risk of this important business upon their shoulders and brought it to a successful issue, to ask them to part with their interests. But, after all, the proposal was only coming back to the original lines on which it was proposed to run the company—purely co-operative, the producer and capitalist #working hand in hand.

After others had addressed the meeting Mr. W. E. Buchanan defended the W.M.E. Company, of which he is a director. He stated that lie was present in a dual capacity, but the principal one was that of a settler. As a settler he was pleased to see that the farmers had at last aroused from their apathy to a. life of activity, and now meant to inquire into what concerns them most, namely, their own business, and he would he pleased to assist them to get a better price for their sheep. Replying to the allegation of being a monoply Mr. Buchanan pointed out the small dividends declared in comparison with similar concerns. It was scarcely likely, also, that the directors would take part in a. monoply against themselves, because they accepted the same price for their sheep as others. The directors would be jeopardising their own interests if they did not do their best for the farmers. In explanation of the difference in the value of sheep obtained in 'the South and locally Mr. Buchanan slated that the Canterbury quotations referred to freezing at their own door, and did not include driving and railage fees. Also, the only Canterbury company that buys had a total "loss of £30,000 cur last year's transactions. Ho stated that the directors of the company were prepared to meet settlers in any reasonable way. The speakers in favour of the proposal considered Mr. Buchanan bad failed to satisfactorily explain the chief point, viz., the cause of the difference in the price paid for sheep on the Addington market and that paid by the Wellington companies. A strong committee was eventually appointed to make the necessary inquiry as to what support will be forthcoming from the Wairarapa, and also to ascertain if there is any other course to be adopted that would give farmers full value of their sheep.—[Wairarapa Correspondent.]

An anonymous donor has offered the city of Glasgow an herbarium of several thousand plants, on condition that it is kept in the People's Palace on Glasgow Green, and facilities given for its inspection by those interested. The gift has been accepted with more than a mere expression of thanks. Considering trie immense success of the song called "The Honeysuckle and the Bee" it is alleged to be rather amusing for an inartistic botanist to uprise and suddenly confound tho writer of the lyric and the writer of the music by declaring absolutely that the honeysuckle is the only flower in "the whole garden of plants which the bee does not patronise. As a matter of fact, to the average well-organised bee the honeysuckle is anathema; lie flies past it as though he were afraid of catching the plague. The lady superintendent of the Auckland Hospital desires, through our columns, to thank Air. W. Francis Tucker for three parcels of jelly crystals for use of children and adult patients and the nurses. Painless Corn Cure: This preparation completely cures the most painful corns, hard or soft. A few applications only re-"' quired to deaden the pain. It is also most useful in removing any thickening of tho epidermis, or horny portion of the skin. Full directions attached to each bottle. Price Is. — Edson, chemist, Auckland. Punch once used the expression undeveloped offspring of the • gallinaceous tribe." All this to denote an egg—fancy that! and avoid the extravagance in making custard. Use Tucker's custard powder; no eggs.