THE FREEZING INDUSTRY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12748, 27 April 1912, Page 2

THE FREEZING INDUSTRY.

EXTENSION OF THE KAITI WORKS CAPACITY FOR NEXT FIVE YEARS. SOME IMPORTANT INNOVATIONS. i "The factory has been kept more than up-to-date — we have anticipated future i requirements. The expenditure has been [ considerable, but before any further expenditure 'of capital will be necessary tlie output of stock from the district will have to be increased at least 50 per cent," thus remarked Mr C. A. de Lav.-. tour, chairman of directors of tbe Gis--borne Sheep'fa-ri-k-s' Frozen ' Meat Co.,'toa Herald representative to-day at the conclusion bf a" tour of inspection of thecompany's extensive works, at Kaiti. "At first sight." added Mr 'de Lautour, "that may not be thought. T .to ,b© ,econ.omicAlly just'i_-ed,;-but. experieh'ce lias shown that it is clieaper 'to deal witb 'tlie whole thing at once than tb allow expenditure to' " be wks'ted *by the inefficiency of any separate department, and an up-to-date slaughter-house was a necessity. ...... „-."..... , " , -, _ - .., '■ •'• ; ( A PROGRESSIVE PGI^ICY,. . . Townspeople arid "shareh^ldel I*-"■1 *- "■ m 'tliij. successful arid ' progressive ",' .priipany^ now grown to one of tne iriain 'factors' i^i the welfare of Gisb : <__ne : and , "its; ".''surrounding ,'wuteh4 ; d .^ith^flio little fnteye_t. thfe extferisive al'erationk that h'kv^ been m. progress for many months- past 'at 'the big Kaiti factory. They :liaV6 se'eit tlife ; gradual disappearance of the old structures associated with the initiation. of freezing operations, and the re-erection of more pretentious buildings; jv t.tiey have.se&n the wcjrks manager's residency", give place^to stantial;permarie'nt building, .and nuinerou's other improvements, extending ..Jufom tho erection of new stock /yards ori tlie one side, to the establishment of .a cooperage and box manufactory establisliment on the other end of the works. These have been biit the outward indications of ,the remodelljng of the,. factory, nritir to-day it'stailfls as'pr^lba'^ly'ohe of the niost efiicierit m t_ie DpmiriioH,. During the p^st couple of ydars tlie Company *has practically douDled its, kjlliri^ capacity, and consequently the various departments thkt d_al with 'the byproducts have all been broiight' into line - . But to return to the chairman's, interesting statement to our representative. "We have provided '.or 'all the district's requirements that will come to our worlts for tho next fiy_3 -yeaxsf j /What will be the effect of railways, and the starting of similar, establishments, m other "parts 'of the '.district m.. the future one 'carjjiot s^.y, but we have watfe'l-ed for the .uture, and the' factory to-day provides for the handling of 3,500 _ carcases i>er"day for a contiriu'ous. run pf ~30 days." Th_e 'extejisive jiature,.o.f the improvehients/effected were' 'disclosed to our representative upon 'the,.yisit that was paid tp the works,_ upftn^tlji^ chairman's'imfiatioft ..oui*' representative.,' 'Toeing 00*^pam^'jby ;j\lr- "w^ *F.'^e3erwali; general manager arid Mr J. 'E. 'Jones, works manager.M r , . i T u. ' :■*^ a handling of stock, The approach to the factory for the large quantities ... pf stock _ that pass through the Work's 'during* the season has been completely reorganised. Hitherto the;/Stocky„r4s. wdrß.f-pai^ted 'from 'IBb work's, a*h'd stbek 'Md "to l^qr iVen across th% 'public rßad, ( 'thus 'c^s"mg 'niudli in} converiienc6_;'b f 6th To the„*"pUKlic: arid to tho cohVpan^.; 1 All mHiir Tias now been obviated, "and once inside the comr pariy i s ; y-ffds_ytck3k..is .never, out. again on tlie public road. , A niob of cattle, for instance, is received "from Crawford road m the paddock .at the foot, of the hill, arid, is taken; delivery qf . m a c'loked yard; ' Tr ovisiori 'hits been riiade ''"to enclose a day's killing m a special yard, and leading up to the race, 'through which- they move tip tb tlife 'pithing pen. The yards ate all *paVed with stone arid concrete for cleanliness. The cattle yards, and m fact the sheep yards also, are so designed that no matter how many mobs may come' to hAh'd "there can be no confusion. There is just the shine efficient provision for sheep; yliich are now fed m reaidily tb the factory witliout any delay. Th.9.r e ,,/ S a " interesting innovation m cpnnection with the holding pen adjoining the cattle ■-laughter-.-ouse, m" the shape of an electric 'prodder. v 'The prodder"consists of ia rod /hanging fr&m electric wires, and is used to induce ."'tlie beasts to on m the dekired direction.;. The' belabo-irig of the animals with, rods or other inhumane methods is a thing of the past. A slight shock is quietly transmitted to the beast, and has the desired 'effect. •NEW SLAUGHTER HOUSES., , The slaughtering 'esfabfi'.hm'ent' both : for tattle and slieep is ■ entity ''n o w/and : Jias been erected m brick and concrete. The beef slaughterhouse stands behind ; tho sheep slaiightef-'house. a^is'-i single '< storey build4ilfr,vi6Bft'in length and 32ft iir wldfli, ( and,TsrSm^ most efficient; e-tablishments of its ki|id m "tlie' "Dominion. . , . _*. , ._.','_ After an animal has i)ben despatcj^ed m a'-pi"fli"f*£-pen of iriiprov^d -t^tgri',' the gate is 1 15 iiickly ' lifted by ! the' p^essffrg of a .6Ver. : OV-rh_ad lias beeri irist'^led a'tfon-jpl-te set of ' hoistirig 'ge_r''opWa.ed b'y''_, friction- • winch; ■'•; The' slaugH*w6r- : house has accommodation for fotir of butchers,* two men to each 'set. The mere, opbratitin of a 'lever hoists the cai*ckse to .the- bleeUirig rail, wherice, it, is trollied to the '"dropper." The" lactt-r is'an ingenious 'cpntriyarice "tT>at carries tho hod^. back, autbrnatically into pqsitidri fbr'wie next carcase. THe dressing of the parcase having been compidtgd, another lever the gear m 'operat-dri, &M i>tf _ the beef '*' goes along 'the m^in rail leading Into the chilling room. There a-b*"fduv'-i_riilar sfets of gißai*, '.w'J-icli i^ve .o ;u.i fee ;;. rjpyplutio : niiQd Qie_ ..hjandjiiig of these hea^ cafcasfes.V •.MtfiE'Sr'j '£&*#s• -is derived fpoin a 25-b.h.p. National I _>as engine, ,;,-. v . '-.''■ r; =.-■'' '; -.'-,-', ■ ' _ The;;stream of bjpfod from .th^'slftnglitev housei fldoiv When aty m, progress Mws' into a concrete taii'k, and .passes .tnerice by .'a drain to tho blbbd-cbokiiig^'dbpartmeiit^ "some distance away frorh wlik'e the meat is "kept. The off al likewise Is trollied • off to ; tji'o dige'stei-s. i Tlie' ckpacity (jf /the beef _ yialighteririgi department has been aug'ifte_itsd^by^ 50 .pes --.Cei-t.-, ithe .cb-OHapy_£^ihg -Jbw^abk to. haridle a mob of 150 to 160 head per dny. ■■; .■■;> 4 .-■ -^. .. .-- . ,:■.s,-. . '.:.• . GUARANTEE AGAINST BONETATNT. .The ppocpss pf -chilling , beef lias bepn i'eyojptiopised. Immejliately'. 'it leaves tlie butchers' harids. t it travels rpr.fid pn the mam bve^heli^ ti'olleVj'ig j.a_j3et[ ,'.jdpw?v ; p'h"tb : ( 'the: lowej* level of thp fre62ing r d^ay^bnfb|y : ap 'ingeplptis cHnin ddrivey#, arid 'go'feg immeaiatejy int« a., special . freezing chariiber 'm its' w-ivrn state, Heve it , .^emtiiijs •u'ri'tll the following morning> when tlie • side ,fV quartered, passes over. i a Hutchi-bn"*s ! pat.nt imprbV.d weighbridge, ' and goe^ 'into -"the ribrrrial; ."free"Zijrtg Chamber. , ( ■ This,' the ; eh-.'irrhan 'stated_i wa^ a reVolutioij of the bid. "exploded „i dea; tHat it was nccessai'y to cool 'off tli^ '^niihal heat- before .•,chil|hig., and .a^bracticb-'tKat Mr. ' Jones, the works .manager,- liad always -bri^enddd ; wrong. Tlie beef is now 'chilie'd"^'s*"qdibkly as^ost-ible 'aftej* slaughtering,,. .ft|id*';k.Q-S.' Into 'the special freezing chamblßF^till' 'it's^ari'irii„i h&t.; y>y •'■■ ■■■ Y-'-'Y. '■';■ '" ' ■'.*./. The new 'process, he wept on 'tb &M, wan another triWmph for science, It wan de?id i.ip-g^instiiWft opinioiij-Vpf ■.pfatj'ticiil. meat. men, wyiose contentions 'jiad proved, tp , be a "fallacy. Th e VO^Pft^y; he cont.i.nned, ; lifid i adopted ■.the-,-, new process on the ndyice of Mr .^ohip Clark, \vh.o litid '. investigated the '-übiect 'm Eb:vdbn ? and aspertii'ined it to lie the besV practice 'and ohe adbptdd 'by Sv.ift's, the big .Am.ei'ican..hbu_p. '; "Since we liave adopted this," ejeplained Mb. deLautour, "l^one .taint loss •has disaopearod, and we have been able to guarantee delivery m London fre. of bone • taint without loss to ourselves.." farmers will appreciate tho 'immense adyajicejiieht /"wi'^Hput firrther elaboration, . ..Tlie cbrnpany is, now adding. an ext,ra beef-freezing room tp facilitaie'i(,hp hjanfjIjxv* of the daily output from the sla iighter-h0u5e. .... .- WHERE MUTTON ; IS-. t MAD^. ;>( To return to .the bther ,sq i ctiop.",of (he wcvks-^t.he i^anujfactiire 'of_,muttbn ; ari,d its various by-prbductsV--tllc. jjispection showed that the equipment of _.tjhe sheep shinghter-house is equally complete . Jnl front it is a dbuble-stbrey hUiiairig,..'|lie' ba.k resting ori ithe soli^. (Slaughtering! is conducted on! the upper floor bf ,f _jri-. i forceli concrete, supported by substantial

I reinforced concrete pillars. It is 130 ft m length, 80ft wide, and 22ft high m the front. There is accommodation for 44 butchers on the slaughtering floor, 22 on each side. The .internal arrangement of this establishment is exceptionally good. The peris are ranged along the outer walls and are fed m from the approaching race. There aro openings and hoppers right along the slaughteririg board, and as the butcher proceeds with his work he tosses the offal into one hopper, whilst down the other -he throws the skins. Consequently, m the midst of slaughtering operations, there is ho accumulation of offal, and the __ old method of' throwing the same" into "an intervening trench, from which it had afterwards to be gathered up and 'failed; away, has gone.. ', The new slaughter-house has a capacity, fdi* handling a "flock of .from' '400)3 to 4500 sheep per day — an increase^ 'Mf from 1000 'to 1500 m the Capacity of this department. The building is airy and well ventilated, and the men'are working -under much .unproved' condition-. The bvefhedd tramways throughout are of iron, lessening the obstruction. of, lHrlit and also minimising danger of fire. ; -The rails -from • both sides of the hbusb lead past the weighbridge. ' ;As ■ they reach this stage they receive their final ti'-mrnirig-, the ' pieces sliced . off disap'peariiig 'down another hopp^i*. ']_favirig. b.eri \\*6ighe'd,:irt_pe--ed by the Gfovernmen t rheat inspector, and ticket ed off, the 'lpn^'-ti'eam of carcases 'go, along thfe overhead' trimway to the 'cooling "f^ m :.. . . Th. c carcases' are- 'p*-_&e'd down to the lower", level with a "minimum of handling. A tramway -has been provided to the preserving department on the one hand and to the tallow department, f or offal: on the other. Thrsr- is on the floor beneath,, where i the advantage of the hopper system of handling the offal is readily. Remonstrated.- - The H "foppirig ' of the hopper door 'deposits the content- into tbe/ truck below, £!**? %?^tipn.. being a rnatter' of . but a few s^coiidf. 'Splice has been .allowed"; on the lower flopr for the honing of preserving bleat •shbnldttfe'necessity for the same' arise. Beneath a special hopper one may see the -sorting out of kidneys, which, are now being packed m. special cardboatd boxes -arid placed on' the tondon, mat'ket _rt an I-, attractive, form - , Mx dozen to the." box."- This does away with the old system of .shipping t-his article in' bulk, and the . -xtra 'trouble is doubtless remunerated by .the enhanced returns. By utilising fh. S pa:ce 'foi'merlv taken up by the •-fou_fr-e_ing department, the ( hanging area for Jnutton and, lamb has beeii Wgrneniled "by- about 60 ; bei* cent., there- no^* being' provision 'for" a ftilJ day's killing— from '4000 ' to 4500 carcases., Tt «iight be added that tnfe'Avorks have not, 'of; course, 'reached this output yet, -but operations ; this season diii'ing the., busy period have gone up as high tt-ISSOO to 3900 carcases m a single day. Incidentally it might be mentioned that a.; special rati point invented : by Mr Jones is m use. HANDLING: THE BY-"PRO(OUCTS. All departments of a factory of this nature arb,' regulated 'by the 'fcapi'di.y of. tire slaughtering houses," andi there lias of necessity been the strengtherring up .'&{') the numerous divisions that handle the by-products. : For instance, economic occur if the fellmongery department is 'riot capable of dealing with the output from the day's killing. The wool on . ;the 'Sheet's . *ba'cT_ . slaughtered . to-day must therefore be treated and haled up ready . for shipment, . to-morrow i Thf .sam^appliejs' to the manure and tallow departmeritj.' '„.."_.-' , . , . . Ry V : "concrete drain the blood from the slaughteririg bouses /.reaches ,the special drying 'room, 'where "it is boiled arid di'iett oji stearh. coils iSi' manufacture into, m'anuire. Triiprbvenierits have been effected' -here." The' *pickirig shed. 'lifts b^eii removed fr6m the fellmongery^ up _ the hijl, thus removing any smell from the latter .department, .... ■ Entering the fellmongery., it. was seen, th&t "_hei*e had Keen* the "ddiiblmg-'up^ m this section. A's^.ond hydro-extrac-,tpr of .the....Watsonr£aidlaw, make,. has Men installed/ arid, tlie' area' 'for tKe lading but, .of ( 's^i|s. 'has been pxtended by .tbe widening of the "rpo-fi and raising of 'the ro'b'f. '_'.',_ '.-.'_' . ■'. '," ; '". , : Any complaint . 'tliat* • might formerly have -been -niade "oy farmers respecting their seconds arid pieces has now been entirely obviated 'by tbe installation of .a, spepial . i wool-wasnirig ulant,. in vented by, tiK^. As ,Mmm. v%* •«** floor the w6ol,;pa_Ses thrbugh a fotaVy washer,, whilst .on floor below it undeYgoes "aft ' d-cillating hashing, which frees it of the lime m excellent style.. Coming put of the washing, _the wool is dumped into a hydro-extractoi' to drain water, a^, .little, krt,er".is;ma*s- :£&> on .tp }_he Petri.., \ wopl_di'jer, irp.n which it emerges ready'; p}r_ the, bale. A £ecqpd .Retrje. .five;. shelf drier has been installed, Y so*' that 'the capacity of tins department has also been brought 'up, £6 thV4OOO-450O v sheep i per day'stan'dard. A second fleshing machine with a'capacity of 4COO skins per day has also been -put m. :..■'.'.,■._■.;..■■■.:. 'y.'yy \ ~y ■• , , A.noi_\tif> innovation. ,is .the installa.t'ipn of a bAlt-di'iyen Wcfbl-'pjesss, , .manijfajc-. 1 tured, t^y f the ; way^on the works by the j cdrripariy's staff. The motive power for | the fellmongery has been _ strengthened: 'by the addition of a __cbrid 50 b.h.p. j National gas engine of the latest type. ' . Across iri the tallow and manure departnie'nts. _there haye '.''beep ,-prVespoJid- ( ing ext-nkVoris of _ plant, .'including fpur, '■ new vats (Rouble tlie capacity),' 'a mag-^ • netisiifg ore 'separator (to separate metal--lie substances from the manure and thus- : prevent break-tges with the crushing; j plant), a Hardy devil-disintegrator with' a, grinding capacity, of logons per, d,ay.' 'An ektrfc dr vlrig tube ' mife'' also 4 been fii. "-..kited, with " £, V: D. "Arrde"rion deoae".ls'._"' , 't'o do. a\vay . ivitli the ' db]rtbxib!U> fttijifes. •'■■ >|ore ( t^a'n £l'(X), "> ! J*h fatit, lii-"' bien 'expe'rided by the '. 'corn-, [parly m the latter direction.' v.. • There have also been extensions m the oask' ..and , bo^f-making shop, and jt is interesting to record that the whole pt.tlie pasks . and ...boxes, used. bY t.he j, cdmpainy. are,, locklly- manufactured", and .fi*orJi"lopa;l: "timber, .;.,.. . • •'■' j. RF-BUIL-OING THIS BOII_ER-ROOM. |l Passing along the ''ertgirie-room departf merit, our; representative was shown a ' new -, Chapman and- Clei*k 'tbvee-iiec&ion Mvat'-ir-tube "bSil-Sir ' of ;*2OB hip.-, Vo*w m course of erection- 'by the epmpariy's o\v'n staff. The new bbiiev will be 22it h'ghj Bft wide, ahd 20ft m depth." When comjileted ( it wjil.. provide' '"dotible Hhe 1 present' boHer-power, . ._ An important extension of the buikj-* ings is, 'about to fee effected m connec-i tipn with the housing of this section bf! .the wprksr., ...At .P.. .sent the, .bpiler-r.opm ebmprise^ the rehia'iijing -ppi'tion of the original works, anOhe gap m the uni-! J ormitar _* of ; ( , ■jhe^.^erior q t ; the factory! \vill.shpjtlyj disappea?,; It >_ iV^nfendidj •M«---Wi_ ls =iHl c ) f eJ]mpnge*oy .on tjie, right,! and the,.fi*eez l ing #tqre,s t , ori „^he, ,l eft.; Wh^this.^. mam frontage' of %ft> Vf!?^ ."V^ill. be.fgr^atjyi improved. The alterations will . necessitate the pulling down of thejOld^ .The exten-.. si on has : already been started m- order to, cover \n % the .nje'w^ boiler. -..,,.'. v . _. The., ;ma^'er. of. fu'e ' prevention . m the now ( _ elstensiy^ j^vl^s not /b^eitv, oyfeiv Ibdked/ and m garryi]^ out ,t'^'e| t altei'q,tions 'ifc^.js, '|ri^nded! \o^ je^rid kfi. st. i :eng i t.lief. i „thg r bri^' waits, eVgbi^ for five prevention purposes. , Tlm^'e walls wjl.l jntersect t\\e forks',' completely at two' points on either side bf the boi!e%--ropm.„ . _, STORAUK FOR ABOUT' 12a00O-> CARCASES.. With such .large development throughout the factoyy. generally increased freezing and'.^toi'ag'e , capacity ha^ loilowed as a 'riatiiral.'fconseqiie'nce, arid! a 'big extension is being made on the eastei'h end of, %Ec ( wbrjes. This erection has been' iri 'progress foi* soriie'tiihe, and is now nearing.'comrjletion, so that it will be. 'available . for next sensoh; One huniired and.t.wenty^et have. been ■ added 'oil 'to.^th'e.. 'length of "the Aybi*h.s. and this 'cbhVprises twq freezing \-oQmn . and a M$H i' oon t: The extra freezing'rqom .giy§s aooommodation for . artother \ *356 d caroasps, "ari^ tlie store will hold a further 25;0Q0 ior" i'SO;OCX) ICavcases. No 1 less than 40,000 ft of ammonia . pipmg has .been i''€qilii*'ed- • to fit ub "th | 6se.*"a'a^^tions. . ."".'.;. v,. _'..'^.-.- . .'.:.,.'.'•' ... y\\ x The .total :: mpactty, k of ' works, Mi* do Lautour i'stated_ . had: b'_'*3*n ;' •bi-ohclit iip r .to;- : f»m;aOO i «(fla.:-,t0 < i*^»QO; ( carcases! j'Thiii.'.he 'said^ >vpuld>pi*OTJjdp 1 storage for a-iiv farmer c^ho/^wjs^eai*. tb *i hold tbeJV- -mutton, .for, ■ distdbutiori to 1 Lpodbn.'^over a series of markets on 1

payment of a slight equivalent, a policy that had been freely advocated by some. OTHER EiXTEINSIONS." A visit to the bag-making room disclosed the fact that further inno'vatioiihave been effected here also. The bags are now being printed by a .special press and subsequently cut into tlie required length. A new class of cover has been introduced — stockinette — an elastic material that fits the carcase like a stocking. The meat is thus less liable to damage. . Complaints were made that solid letters stained the carcase, and hollow letters have been adopted, with good results. Beef is also being ' .6'vered ' with "the hew 'cloth, and the usual stouter hessian covering outside. The preserving-room . has hfien extended, extra plant has been installed, arid tho department generallj r brought thorough]y. /up-to-date. The company's preserved meats are finding a large and ready sale, both m. New Zealand and throughout the South iSca. Islands. Tiro whole Of the company's Stable has b«eh;r6hipved;;'fi'6m thft i wharf to Kaiti, ''arid-he houses a'_e iiow accommodated m rje'w. brick stables. ;'neat*Vtlse Works."- I'l'bvis-on ;is mddc foi* 30 staks i and four loos.q boxes, enclosing, a .ston.fiagged courtyard. There,, is also a harness and feed-.ooih 'in. brick, 60ft m length. ; 'Standing, on the tympany's freehold "is ' a sul-stahtijil brick. , store, where th^ -geftei'ai reqiiirem'eritfe' of. „the works ki*e* kept. The ti'arisffefhh-'e of the carrying plant to Kaiti entails the daily crossing of the Esplanade ro&4j and 'seeing, the large amount of trafli.that now passes ov'e_* this thdi*oughfare, it is to b& Hoped" the I Bbi" i otfg i h aXi.horities will c-U'ry out their T-fbrtil^e "arid 'place the -same m something like oorderr r As' showing the important .part the factory plays m cpnnection .-with , the general welfare .of the towii> our representative was inforaied that throughout the season the casual men employed number as many as 250,' m addition to the. permanent staff 6'f twenty or thirty. Thi*6'iVgriout the seaspri the cprripany circulate tffeout £25,00*6 m wages 'alone. Om* thanks are due ; . to ,the, Ol^airman of Directpi's, the jrerieral manager, and Ayorks mariagsi', r . for 'their courtesy , Jo our l'epreseiitativ.-/ and), for the irifdrmh- ■ tibn- placed t at our disposal, .which, demonstrates, tho '. successful nianagefiienti of .thi^ big concepi, arid' reflactp, great credit itpdri those who have. the adihiriisItratioribi its affaivsi, »,,,'''".' I ■___--___-__i_-_----_--__-l •':*.-