THE N.Z. REFRIGERATING CO.'S WORKS AT OAMARU.

Otago Witness, Issue 1974, 19 September 1889, Page 17

THE N.Z. REFRIGERATING CO.'S WORKS AT OAMARU.

A little over four years ago the New Zealand Refrigerating Company decided to establish a branch of their works in Oamaru, and with this object in view the landowners of the district were asked to become shareholders in the company. The response was a ready and liberal one, and much encouragement was given by flockowners. Tenders were called for the erection of the necessary buildings, which consisted of a boiler shed, machine room, and stores, the latter having ircapacity of 15,000 carcasses. In the! boiler room two five-ton boilers were placed, but these were only used in case of emergency, or accident to the water motors which were then used for driving the engines. Later on an additional and larger refrigerator, which had been taken from the Illfated ship Lyttelton which sank in the Timaru roadstead, was placed In the engine room, when both steam and water nad to be used. The demand for space from' flockowners proved that the capacity of the works, was insufficient, and it was resolved by the directo-j rate to make considerable alterations and additions. These have been carried out in a satisfactory manner by the various contractors. The smoke stack, which is now some 90ft in height, was taken down and' shifted further north. The old boilers were taken out and two new ones, made of steel, 30ft in length, 1 and weighing about 20 tons each, ordered from Messrs Bparrow and Co ,of Dunedin. There boilers' are of a combined 400-horse power, having a working pressure of 1201b to the square inch. The flues were' solid welded, with Adamson's patent expansion joints. One of Green's patent fuel economisers has been built in at the back of the boilerj, and this will represent a large saving in fuel. An additional wing 1 has been added to the storage buildings, thus raising | their capacity to 20,000 carcasses, and with the' additions to machinery, &c , enabling nearly double the number of sheep to be treated daily. The works' are without doubt the most complete of their kind in New Zealand, and we are assured that it would be almost impossible for fire to occur in them, as the storage rooms are lined with iron inside, and tho outside built of Oamaru stone. Everything that is needed to successfully carry on the work has been supplied, and every credit is due to those on whom the duty devolves for the order and excel; lence of the appointments. The total cost of the works up to the present has been about £14,000) Mr Scott has been in charge of the works prac^ tically since their inception, and his ability as practical manager is apparent- throughout. Work requiring great care and skill has been well carried out, and in this he has been ably seconded by Mr Lindsay as supervisor. The value of having such aty Industry in our midst will be apparent wheu we state that the average" disbursement in wages alone to the regular employes is fully £130 per week. This doeß not include money paid for touching car--casses, shipping, unloading coals, &c. The want of more shipping space is severely felt, and killing will have to be stopped from the end of the present week : up to the middle of December, chiefly on this ac- < count. There are, we undprstand, plenty of sheep offering, but most of these have had to be refused until better arrangements can be made for getting i the mutton away. — Oamaru Mail. i j