FREEZING INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23577, 13 August 1938, Page 16

FREEZING INDUSTRY

WORKS AT SAWYERS' BAY

APPLICATION BEFORE GOVERNMENT THE PROPOSAL OUTLINED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Aug. 12. An application for permission to erect a freezing works at Sawyers' Bay has been placed before the Government. This application, together with a request for another freezing works in the Southland district, has. it is understood, been submitted to a sub-committee of the Cabinet, and the two are likely to be considered in conjunction with a general survery of the freezing facilities of the Dominion.

The proposal for works at Sawyers' Bay was placed before the Minister of Agriculture (Mr W. Lee Martin) by a deputation of Dunedin members of Parliament comprising Messrs A. Campbell, J. W. Munro, P. Neilson, and D. G. McMillan. The proposal is to erect works capable of handling 400,000 head of stock each season and to raise the whole of the capital, estimated at between £200,000 and £300,000, in Otago. giving the farmers every opportunity of taking up shares. 'it is understood that the company which is prepared to undertake erection of the works has already been guaranteed 250,000 head of stock annually, and that space will be provided for the freezing of fish and possibly other products awaiting export. It has been submitted that there is an undoubted lack "f freezing space for meat to be exported from the Port of Otago, that that port has been, losing a great deal of legitimate trade to other ports, and that in view of the increasing production of export stock in the orovince there is ample need for further facilities. It is understood that the Meat Producers' Board has recommended that the application for new freezing works in Southland should be held over for a year, and in that case it seem possible that the application for works at Sawyers Bay will be dealt with similarly.