" HELLABY'S,"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18278, 20 December 1922, Page 12

" HELLABY'S,"

A HUGE NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRY.

MEAT FOR THE MILLION !

Nearly half-a-century ago—nine and forty years to be precise—a small butcher's shop was opened in Shortland Street.

The premises, although quite modest in size, were yet sufficiently large to answer public requirements when the population of Auckland was comparatively limited.

That shop, although remodelled since the early days, is still in existence, and still bears the time-honoured name of R. and W. Hellaby.

Just aa Tall oaks from little acorns grow,

so have many of our most" flourishing and fluccessful industries developed from the humblest and most insignificant beginnings. Hellaby's is a case in point. Who could possibly have foreseen when that little shop sprang into existence in Shortland Street away back in the early seventies that it was destined to be the nucleus of what is to-day one of the largest industrial concerns in Australasia?

The mere name " Hellaby's " ia known practically the world over. To mention it is to suggest " meat," for Hellaby's and meat are indissolubiy associated.

If a map of Auckland were marked -with an asterisk on each . spot where there is a Hellaby Bhop it would be peppered all over with asterisks! From one end of Auckland to the other, in every suburb, practically wherever there are houses and residents, a depot for the sale cf-Hellaby meat and meat products is to be found. Even fit you cross the harbour and visit the North Shore townships, you will discover shops bearing the familiar name, and it is no exaggeration to say that a considerable proportion of the population of the city and its suburbs are regular consumers of Hellabya meat and Hellaby's small goods.

The official headquarters of this gigantic organisation are in Shorthand Street, where the business originated, and from this central hub of the Hellaby system between 30 and 40 branch shops are controlled, while others wili shortly be added to the number.

Phenomenal success in business of any kind is often attributed by the thoughtless to " luck." The proprietors and responsible heads of such concerns as that under notice know full well that the clement of luck, or chance, but rarely, if ever, enters into commercial undertakings, and that success is almost invariably the fruit of enterprise (blended with caution), courage and initiative. Such has been the case in regard to ft. and W. Hellaby, Ltd. and if the rise of the firm has been extraordinary it has bean due entirely to strenuous effort, honest endeavour, and a determination to win through.

It may be asked : From whence does this great firm obtain its supplies of sheep and Cattle! The answer is that it buys the animals from a hundred different sources. The stock markets at Westfield are liberally drawn upon, and in addition farmers president all over the North Island contribute of their best to supply Hellaby's incessant demands for prime stock.

The firm has a large staff of expert

buyers, who are constantly scouring the country in quest of fat beasts, and when these are found they are railed to West-

field, end on arrival are turned out into the company's own paddocks. Here they are grazed and thoroughly rested, and are

Mowed sufficient time id which to recover

from the bruises, bumps and knocking about incidental to most long journeys by rail, where stock are concerned. Thus when they enter the slaughter houses the animals are " fit," and itt the proper condition for killing, with the result that the quality of the meat is likely to be of,the best when it finally makes it* appearance on the table of the Consumer. Amongst its more recent developments the company has erected abattoirs of the most modern type at Westfield, and also now owns a new packing and canning factory, while it proposes te add new J reeling chambers at no distant date. All these fresh departures have been rendered necessary by the ever growing demand for

the company's output, occasioned by the rapid increase in the population of Auckland which is undoubtedly destined to bocome another Sydney.

The company's Westfield works can deal with about 150 head of cattle and 1500

sheep per day at the present time, all these animals being killed under strict

Government supervision. Everything is done methodically at the works. After the slaughtering is over the mutton is at once transferred to the cooling chambers •while the beef goes into the refrigerating room, where it is carefully chilled, after which it is weighed and distributed by the company'* extensive fleet of motor and other vehicles to the numerous shops, city and suburban, of the organisation.

But no written description can convey an adequate impression to the mind of the reader of the tremendous amount of labour entailed in looking for, buying, railing, resting, slaughtering, cooling, and Anally distributing £he carcases which a little later will be cut up into joints and eventually find their way in that shape to the homes of the people.

A full description of the new Hellaby packing and canning works at Westfield, and 1 the various processes to be seen there would fill columns of space alone. It must suffice to say that the plant can fill and seal 10,000 tins (assorted sizes) daily of canned or preserved meat. Most of this tinned stuff is shipped to the Islands where the firm's trading territory extends from the Dutch Indies to the Cook group.

The company also deals very largely in wool, tallow and hides (for export), and manufactures neatsfoot oil, fertilisers and the famous " Bovo" extract of meat, which has an enormous sale, and is appreciated by all sorts of people throughout the Dominion.

Christmas Day will witness the uncovering on hundreds of Auckland dinner tables of the noble sirloin and' the toothsome lamb, and it is safe to say that a consideration proportion of both chose popular items of Christmas fare will be supplied by the famous firm of caterers whose activities have been merely outlined in this notice.

R. and W. Hellaby, Ltd. will cslebrata the jubilee of the finn. is tho coming year.