AROUND PATEA

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1610, 7 January 1903, Page 66

AROUND PATEA

(From Our Special Correspondent.)

The graders have been kept busy at the freezing works here lately, owing to the extensive shipments of butter leaving the port. The Athenio took 6771 boxes of butter, the Turakina 7036, and it is estimated that the Gothic will take somewhere about 8500 boxes. As these shipments are made fortnightly, some idea of the magnitude of the trade may he gleaned. The factories labour under certain disabilities, as no provision ig made for grading cheese, and doubtless some representation will be made in the near future to place cheese on the same plane as butter. The poultry industry is likely to grow into an extensive trade, too, and all grading is done from Wellington at the present time. If the efforts of the people of Stratford and Hawea and along the coast generally are persevered with, a large export of poultry may be looked for, and provision will have to be made somewhere nearer than Wellington for their handling and classification. Patea is excellently situated, and has advantages that entitle it to consideration as a port for the grading of poultry also, in addition to butter and cheese. The brick works are kept busy lately, owing to the increased demand for bricks, and the output lias been considerable. As a large amount of labour is employed by the proprietors, Messrs Graves and Co., the extended operations will generally assist .the community. The necessity for improved harbour arrangements has been felt on many occasions, arid it has now been decided to expend £15,000 in constructing a

mole and rendering the bar available for the increased traffic of the port. That this expenditure is wise few will doubt, atnd a forward move of this sort has long been necessary in the interests of the district and ho assist the growing trade.