The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1914, TARANAKI FARMERS' FREEZING WORKS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 14, 4 June 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 1914, TARANAKI FARMERS' FREEZING WORKS.

There Should l>e a feeling of gratification throughout the whole of the province of Taranaki that the erection of a producers' meat freezing works is within sight. Tho decision of the committee, which met at Stratford on Monday to recommend tho settlers to form a Farmers' Meat Freezing Company was arrived at after due consideration Iliad, been given to the output of stock, present and future, and to the results which have attended similar ventures in other parts of tho Dominion. It now only rests with the general body of settlers to confirm or reject the recommendation and to thereby indicate whether or not they desire to materially improve their own prosperity and that of the province. There are, of course, several points that require careful consideration in such a very important movement, but there are none of any magnitude that were not reviewed by the committee. The crux of the whole position is to be found in the courage of those most concerned. Aro they likely to be turned aside from such a project by the mere fear that the proposed works will meet with strong opposition and competition from the proprietary concern that 'has now practically a monopoly of the meat export business in Taranaki ? For answer to this query it should suffice to point to what Taranaki settlers have accomplished since the foundation of the province. The men who have made Taranaki the richest and most prosperous part of New Zealand, and have done so in face of .conditions that would have dismayed all but the most sturdy, stouthearted, and indomitable men, are not likely to be chicken-hearted over a possible struggle . for supremacy with a privato firm possessing long purse strings. Hitherto the Taranaki farmers have been 'helping the proprietors of the freezing works to grow fat on the produce raised on the land which the far ; mera have won from the virgin forest, but now it only requires the same spirit of unity that has proved so successful in the dairying industry to be applied to the meat-freezing enterprise, and the farmers will have the •tfhole control of their output, reap the full benefit of their produce, obtain the best prices, and be able to rely on their sheep and cattle being dealt with for export as soon as they are ready. Moreover, it must be remembered that competition is the life of business. The farmers, by erecting freezing works, stand In win all round. By presenting a united front they can defy opposition, but even assuming that a private firm offered a higher price for stock than that obtainable at the farmers' own works, they may be sure of one out of two things happening—either the buyers stand to lose or to make a profit. Tf (he former, then what the farmers gain (should they be tempted to sell) could properly be put against a temporary decline in the dividends of their own company, but ill the latter case it would be folly for the farmers to have played into tho hands of those who would in the end exploit them. There arc two ends that have to be considered—the local end as represented by fche'freezing works and the price paid for stock, and the market end, which makes for dividends on the shares. It should be, a matter of indifference to most of the producers whether they receive a fraction more for their stock when delivered at the works, or whether they receive a fraction less for the time being and a good dividend at the end of the year. The dairying co-operative system emphasises in some measure the point which it is sought to bring home in this connection. With meat freezing works of their own, the settlers must win what profits there are in the concern, and tliey are certainly worth gaining. Instances are frequently occurring when farmers have to sacrifice a good deal owing to their inability to dispose of their fat stock to the proprietary freezing companies. To have a certain market at all usual times when the stock are ready, means a great (leal to the farmer, and that can only lie secured by having works of their own. As some of those present on Tuesday pointed out, there are vast supplies for the export trade that can be obtained from the new lands of Ohura, Awakino, Mokau and other parts, so that there need be no fear qf insufficiency of stock. Hitherto there has been no encouragement. for the back settlers to fatten slock, but all this would be Changed by the proposed works. The question of site naturally received much attention, but there, was no question that the general desire was to have the worlcs at tne most convenient locality, both for the reception of stock coming from all parts of the district, and for transmission of the carcases to the nearest port—New Plymouth. In view of the terrible sufferings and damage inllietcd on cattle and sheep through shunting operations in railway yards, it is extremely desirable to avoid as much as possible the trucking of slock. The proposed locality is pre-euiiuently suitable for the purpose, especially in view of the large supplies anticipated to come forward from the Mokau, Awakino and Olinra districts. Assuming that the settlers will lie sufficiently alive to their own interests. and that they will proceed with the freezing works, it is to be hoped l!i;'l Sli.' whole of the province will join ii, ; lie i;ir:il. Reasonable proximity 1(1 the port at which I lie export produce can be -hipped direct on to the ll.mic bii;;l it vi' .-eU froing to fuivkni parts ;- ;ili-oInW ;y c-.-i.ti.;l. The opportunity for milk in? a thoroughly sin re--.f;il provim'>,l nrnli'rtsifcinjj now presents itfcelf. ami if it i- availed of. .-hnnld prove of incalculable benefit to Taranaki as a whole. The co-operation of South Tara-

very opportune. The veriest, tyro in commerce! must know that freezing works backed up by the whole of Taranaki, would be the finest business proposition in the Dominion. The ball is waiting to be played.