THE NELSON FREEZING COMPANY.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12517, 20 April 1909, Page 2

THE NELSON FREEZING COMPANY.

A RETROSPECT.

As far back as 1899 an effort was made by a number of progressive farmers and enterprising business men to establish freezing works in the Nelson district. Meetings were held in various parts of the country to discuss the project, and a prospectus of the proposed company was issued, but the promises of support received were not sufficient to warrant the promoters proceeding further. However, since then the district has progressed, the number of sheep- have largely increased and farmers felt that the time had arrived for them to look for an outside market for their products. Consequently in September 1907, the first definite steps in connection with the establishment of the present freezing works were taken, when a public meeting was called by the President of the Farmers' Union at the request of a number of settlers in the Tadnior and Sherry districts. The meeting was held in the Oddfellows' Hall, Wakefield and despite the fact that the night was wet and stormy about sixty farmers attended, many travelling long distances" in order to be -present. The result of the meeting -was the appointment of a committee to make preliminary arangements for the formation of a company. The names of tjiose forming the committee were Messrs M. J. Corrigan, D. J. T. Rouse, J. L. Rollet, J. Gaukrodger, F. Fairhall, A. Wilkinson, A. Sbirtliff , and I. Tunnicliffe. At the close of the public meeting the committee met, and arranged to meet in -Nelson on the following day, in order to put the matter in legal form with the object of issuing a prospectus of the proposed company. This arrangement was carried out, the Committee meeting at the Commercial Hotel, where it was decided to invite several of the lcadng business men of the City to join the Provisional Directorate. The Committee were successful in securing the consent of Messrs F. W. Hamilton, P. B. Adams, and T. Field senr., to act , and these gentlemen, with Messrs M; J. Corrigan, D. J. T. Rouse J. L. Rollet, J. Gaukrodger, A. Shirtliff and I. Tunni- . cliff, formed the first Board of Provisional Directors. Messrs Kingdon, Glasgow and Hayes were appointed solicitors, and Mr W. Spencer Hampson, secretary of the proposed company. Several meetings were held in Nelson, and arrangements made for floating the company. The prospectus was drawn up, fixing the capital of tho proposed company at £50,000 in 10.000 shares of £5 each. The objects of the company were sot out as being "for the .purpose of erecting up-to-date freezing works, . cold storage chambers and artificial manure works at or near the City of Nelson, and to act as agents for the shipping and sale of all classes of produce either in New

Zealand or elsewhere." Copies of the prospectus were widely distributed throughout the Province. The Provisional Directors then considered the question of having the several districts systematically canvassed, and Messrs Corrigau and Rouse volunteered to clc a fortnights' canvassing for shares ai, their, own expense. The offer was gladly accepted by the Directors, and these' gentlemen instituted a vigorous campaign amongst the farmers, meeting with much success. At the end of the fortnight the Directors met in the Secretary's office to receive the canvassers' report which was considered highly satisfactory. It 'was then unanimously decided by the Directors that they could not do better than engage Messrs Corrigan and Rouse to canvass the whole district thoroughly for two months, making themselves personally responsible for the cost. At the end of the period the canvassers again reported progress. Some £14,---000 had by this time been subscribed, and as the time allowed for the flotation of the company was getting short, and Messrs Corrigan and Rouse_ could not promise to devote any more of their time to canvassing^ it was deoided to ask the then shareholders to allow the company to be registered and proceed to allotment with a capital of £14,000 instead of £20, 000 as stated in the. original prospectus. Circulars setting forth the wishes of the Directors were issued, and almost without exception, the shareholders agreed to the new proposal. The company was then registered, Messrs Corrigan and Rouse being mainly responsible for its successful flotation.

On May Bth 1908, the, statutory meeting of shareholders was held in the Chamber of Commerce rooms, Mr J. H. Cock presiding. The attendance was thorougly representative of the city and all parts of the district. Scrutineers were appointed to -count the ballot papers for the first election of the first Board of Directors, but as this occupied some hours, the result was not known until it appeared in "The Colonist" the following morning. The successful candidates were Messrs D. J. T. Rouse, George Macmahon, S. J. Wratt, M. J. Corrigan, W. C. Baigent, A. Drumraond junr, and F. W. Hamilton. The Directors set to work immediately, and plans of the proposed^ works, together with the machinery and plant, were prepared and designed by Mr A. S. Mitchell of Wellington.

On August 24th tenders were accepted as follows: — Building, Mr Andrew Millar, Nelson ; Machinery etc., Messrs Nevin and Co Ltd., Napier; boiler, Stirling Boiler Co., Sydney; pumps, Messrs Chambers and Sons, Auckland ; manure drier, Mr C. W. McDonald, Sydney; digester, Messrs Hutchinson .and Cambell, Wellington. The electric lighing and gas producing plant were left in the hands of the engineer, Mr A. S. Mitchell. On November 2nd Mr M. J. Corrigan resigned from the position of Chairman of Directors, and Mr George Macmahon was elected in his stead. On December 9th Mr J. Allan Mitchell of Christchurch, who had for some 12 years been with the Christchurch Meat Co. was appointed manager. The original instructions to the architect were to prepare plans for freezing works, with a capacity of from 300 to 300 .shesn per day, the cost not to exceed £14,000, and the work has been done so well that the estimate has not been exceeded to any great extent. As a matter of fact the maximum output per day has been nearer 500. The contractors carried out their various tasks satisfactorily, and the works Tvere officially opened on March Ist, and the_ event was celebrated by a dinner in the Theatre Royal in the evening. Killing was really commenced before that date, and the promises of support received have been fulfilled the result being that over 14,000 carcases were ready for the Rakaia, which' arrived yesterday and is the first ocean going steamer to visit the Port of Nelson.

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