FREEZING WORKS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 36, 4 June 1914, Page 3

FREEZING WORKS.

NORTH TARANAK! PROPOSAL. A meeting was held on Tuesday afternoon in connection with the proposal to erect meat freezing works in northern Taranaki. Mr Josepii .McCluggage occupied the clair. The chairman said that since last meeting lie ha dreceived all necessary data regarding other companies and from a perusal of these he was convinced that a company would succeed hero as well as anywhere else, probably better, lie had received a number of oilers oi sites between Inglewood and Sentry Hill. The New Plymouth Harbor Board offered a site of forty acres at Moturoa, but he thought this not largo enough. Mr AlcChiggage quoted from prospectuses to show' that it was not considered necessary to allot a great many shares before proceeding with the flotation of the company. Mr W.f P. Kirkwood asked that Mr J. B. Richards give the meeting the information he was requested by a former meeting to procure. Mr Richards quoted figures from the latest Year Book, these showed that the total number of_ sheep in the Dominion was 23,750,133, and the exports were 5,535,389 carcases, the proportino of export tP’ the total flocks was 23.306. The total number of sheep in Taranaki was 719,688, and, on the Dominion ratio, the number available for freezing would be 167,687. Mr McCluggage said the latest figures showed that there were about a million sheep in Taranaki, taking in the Ohura country. Mr Richards said the figures for the past five years showed that the total Hooks did' not fluctuate greatly. A table supplied by the Department of Industries showed that the freezing works established in the Dominion had a killing capacity of 82,175 per day. On the same proportion the killing capacity required by Taranaki would be 2485/but the Department said the capacity of present Taranaki works ■ was 3625 per day. Mr Newton King said he thought the Department was wrong. He thought that the actual figure was about 1600. Mr Richards said the capacity quoted was what the W'orks could do if they killed sheep only. Mr McCluggage pointed out that there we’re 50,000 pigs in Taranaki—more than in Wellington and Hawke’s Bay put together. Mr W. H. H. Young said he thought there was no room for another works. There were not enough sheep to keep the present works going. Mr Richards said farmers 'seemed to be treating the movement coolly. He would like to hear from farmers if they had been called upon to keep their cattle waiting a tthe works after giving due notice. If this had not happened it would he unwise to erect new works. Mr King said all the indications pointed to new works being necessary. Mr W. A. McCutchan said That all through the Whangamomona country there were good numbers of fat sheep. There was plenty of land there to fatten sheep on. But the settlers must have some inducement to go in for fattening. He was sure that if the works were erected they would do well. If there were.encouragement, in . thei 'shape of the works, much fat stock would come out from the Ohura country. i Mr McCluggage said the Ohura trade must go to New Plymouth. If ,th,q works were in going', order stock 'Coillcj he driven to the end of the rail o way and trupked to the works. The ; company should have a nominal capital of £IOO,OOO, but they-could go to .alJotmopt^pn, £40,000. Mr W. G. Malone put forward the suggestion thlit formers should regard the money'they put into the works-as a -guarantee that their sheep would not bo shut out when they wore just ready for freezing. Mr C. Young thought it would ho a waste of time to put up new works. The Patea Company had not been a success and they had to go further north than Stratford for their stock. Mr McCutchan drew attention to the fact that .the Pastoralists’ Review spoke authoritatively of an impending meat famine. If there was to be a ’shortage of meat surely there could be / ’no danger in erecting freezing works. The non-success of the Patea works was due chiefly to the fact that the port was not good. The port at New Plymouth was guaranteed, and no better port for the province could be found. They wer'e not dealing courageously with the matter. 'That day’s meeting should decide to go on with tlie thing or drop it. for a few .years. •Mr Barnitt'said that if the farmers stood together the works should he a success. The Mokau was being opened up—thousands of acres of bush were being felled. Mr McCluggage endorsed Mr McCutchan’s suggestion—that if something were not done that day the movement might fall through. Mr McCutchan moved that as soon as £12,500 worth of shares was applied for a recommendation be made to a general meeting of settlers to proceed with the erection of works costing £45,000. Mr C. Young said that although he had expressed doubt about the scheme he hoped nobody would think he was antagonistic. On the contrary, ha would do everything he could for it. Mr Richards thought that before proceeding further there should ho more enthusiasm than lie had seen. My McCluggage 'said a good many people had come to his office asking how the movement was getting on and stating that they were willing to take shares. Mr E. Griffiths said Mr Wright, of Rahotu, had stated that he was prepared to put £SOO into the company, and had drawn attention to the large number of pigs which would come from the district. The motion was seconded by Mr King and carried. It was decided that the general meeting of settlers take place on June 9th. It was also decided that the committee should go into the question of site and should recommend to the general meeting the most suitable site between Inglewood, Waitara and New Plymouth. An amendment that Stratford he the southern limit of the district of choice, moved by /Mr Kirkwood, and seconded by Mr W. H. 11. Young, was lost..on the voices MiMvirkwood explained that his object was to ensure that a suitable site would be procured on the higher ground.