COOL STORAGE.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13775, 16 July 1913, Page 3 (Supplement)

COOL STORAGE.

INTERESTING DISCUSSION AT

LOWER MOUTERE.

LOCAL ERECTION PROPOSED

(From "The Colonist," June 20.)

Tho usual monthly meeting of tho Lower Moutere Fruitgrowers' Association wag held in the local hall on Wednesday evening. Mr. H. O. Holdaway presided. The chairman intimated that the committee had fixed tho following subjects for discussion at each monthly | meeting:—June: Cool storage; July:,! Drainage and cultivation; August: Hill planting versus flat planting. j The subject of cool storage was then discussed at the invitation of tho chairman.

Mr. McKee pointed out that every year the Dominion sent thousands of pounds sterling outside to America and Tasmania for apples. Wo wero importing more than wo were exporting. While tho eocport trado wits an excellent thing they.should keep an eye on tho local trade". Last November Mr. McKee ri&rbed the Doncaster district in Victoria, where tho Government had started a cool" store, holding 5000 to 10,000 cases. This was enlarged to 20,000 and proved still insufficient. Doncastor growers floated a company and erected cool stores to hold 16,000 eases, and now there was further development. New stores were to bo erected in time for use next season to hold 25,000 cases. Tho private cool store was worked by an engineer-man-ager, each shareholder held an allotted space, and provided his own men to attend to his fruit. Tho upkeep of tins store worked out at }d per case per week, while the Government stores worked out at LJd. Here an engineer, itssietant-ongineer and labour was waiting to receive and deliver fruit. The cool store at West Doncastor held space for 8000 cases, and each shareholder subsoribed £200. This entitled him to a space of 500 cases, the store was divided into four chambers, each of eight spaces of 500 cases. At the end of the year each shareholder paid his portion of the expenses. "With interest on capital and depreciation this amounted to about £45 per year for each shareholder. Of course more than 500 cases can b& stowed during the season. Somo growers stored peaches and early varieties of apples. Up to 1000 cases had been stored. This worked out at under Is per case for the reason. Mr. McKoe thought this tJjc b<\l jt; scheme for this district. He had sold fruit at the beginning of the woason for 2s 6d to 4h Cd not; where if fruit could bo hteld in cool store till September, October and November 12s would be tho average price. At a cost of say 2s per case the profits would _be more than doubled, besides regulating th« market-at the busy time. The engineer who had designed tho West, Doncaster cool store had informed him that the cost of a 20,000 case capacity would be: Wooden building, single lined, £2,600; double limxl, extra, £400; refrigerating machine, 20 ton plant, £1600; suction gas _ plant. £750; emergencies, £530. This plant cost £1063 to run per year, which included working expenses., interest and depreciation. The income for six months' running would be, 26 weeks at Id, £2166;' at ljd £2708; at l-}d, £3250. Mr. McK.ee also pointed out that the pre-cooling of export fruit was an important matter. Mr. Whitty said that cool store should be their first consideration, but at Doncaster the orchardists were in a larger way. In this (Motueka) district it would be difficult to find a grower who could put up the necessary £200 as Mr. McKco suggested. Mr. Wli,itty thought a 10,000 chamber could be erected for £2800.

Mr. Asbury said the most economical motive plant was the suction gas plant. Mr McKoo said at HealsviSlo, Victoria, where ]BiK) acres were in orchard there was a 10,000 cool store in course of erection and at Packenham, 2000 acres, a 80,000 store was in use. The Nelson district, with 40,000 acres, had not ranch cool stone facilities, and it was time the growers did. something for themselves. Personally ho did not pin much faith to the Motueka Harbour Board doing much in the direction oi cool storage. Mr. Massey had informed him that the Government was formulating some scheme for cheap money, free from objectionable clauses. The cool store should be the growers' pivot of operations. As the export tradvo- developed rejects and culls must be dealt with. Machinery could be provided for the manufacture of cider, vinegar, and dried fruits.

Mr. Ho]da\vay said 3io was somewhat pessimistic about co-operation in this district. Their local fruit factory, was now in liquidation, and payment for fruit was hung up. Ho did not hold out much hope of the capital being siibscribed by tho growers. He favoured tho Harbour Board obtaining the money from tho "Government.

Mr. McKee- said a cool stor** committee was in existence. Jt consisted"of Messrs. It. P. Hudson, W. W. Anderson, W. E. Rowling, Thos. Pattie and himself;

Mi\ Balch said Jie would ]iko to sco some schemo whiere the £200 was not involved. There was a better ehaneo of the growers backing it up. Mr McKee said the £200 could be divided over two years for payment. Mr. Gray strongly supportipd t\w cool ©tore question, and woiJd like to sc«> the association offer some practical fiugffestions. Mr. 3tcKty? moved, and Mr. Tacon ROcondod, that tho sccrottiry'^vj'it'o to M-ossrs. J. Chambers and Son and J. Nivcn and Co. for estimates for machinery, otc., for a cool "stcre. It was oter decided to -write to tho Piime

Minister asking him to supply details of his scheme- of cheap money for tho ' erection of cool stores and canneries us stated in his speech at Hastings. This closed a very interesting di&r cussion.