COOL STORAGE AND GRADING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13840, 27 February 1909, Page 6

COOL STORAGE AND GRADING.

•ENQUIRY BY HARBOUR BOARD. This subject came up for consideration- at yesterday's meeting of the Harbour Board. A budget of correspondence regarding cool stores and grading had been printed and sent out to members. The matter was raised by the Temuka Butter and Cheese Company, Mr Burns on January 6th, writing that they had to pay 14s 3d per ton -to rail their cheese (about 130 tons per annum) to Lyttelton for grading, instead of 4s 3d per ton to Timaru, on account of the absence of cool stores at the latter port. This was a. hardship, because the same boats into which "their cheese was shipped at Lyttelton often called at Timaru. He sought the Board's assistance in removing that hardship by getting Timaru made a grading port. The secretary to the Board wrote to Mr Ritchie, Secretary for Agriculture, about it, and he replied on the 16tli inst. as follows:: —"I have now before me the opinion of the Department's Dairy Commissioner on the question of loading dairy produce at Timaru. He points out that not more than two factories "would ship there; that the total output would not exceed 180 tons, and that the steamers calling there are not the regular boats carrying dairy produce, and in some instances would not be in a position to take cheese owing to the want of proper chambers. Further, their movements are uncertain, and in consequence fortnightly or monthly shipments could not be depended upon. The matter of regular shipments is of the utmost importance to the industry. The question of storage accommodation is another matter requiring consideration. Although the port was declared a grading port, it was only done on condition the South Canterbury Dairy Factory Company provided proper storage. Seeing that suitable facilities at Lyttelton for storage and grading are now provided, I am of opinion that it is in the best interests of the" two companies to rail there."

Replies from other directions were not more encouraging.. Mr Bissett, business manager of the Taieri and Peninsula Company, said they could give no assistance, not even from Oamara. If a Home steamer is not loading at Dunedin, the shipping companies pay the freight to Lyttelton and Wellington by Union boat, but these "Union boats do not call at Timaru. . The New Zealand Shipping Company's local manager, Mr Cotterill, did j-ot think it would be possible for their boats to lift butter, etc., at Timaru regularly, and it would be better to forward* to Lyttelton. Lyttelton is a j-rading port, yet dairy produce is often forwarded from there to Wellington for shipment. Mr J. M. Ritchie, manager of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, thought shipment at Lyttelton suitable and convenient alike for shippers and steamers. Mr J. R- Scott, secretary to the National Dairy Association, Dunedin, would not advise the Board to erect cold storage. There would only be Timaru butter to ship, and the Timaru district " seems far too prosperous for dairving to take on with farmers to any "extent." All butter from Dunedin for grading goes. to Lyttelton or Wellington, and the shipping companies pay the coastal -freight. The two' freezing companies quoted their terms for freezing or cool storage of dairv produce. ACTION BY THE HARBOUR BOARD * u At the meeting yesterday, a letter was received from Mr E. J. Smith ,of Timaru, asking for the lease of one of the Board's sections on the reclamation area, for the erection of a cool store for fish and small produce. The build-

ing would be 25ft. by 50ft. In a further communication Mr Smith wrote that he was prepared to establish a butter grading depot, capable of holding 200 tons. The chairman referred members to the correspondence that had been sent out to them, and in. regard to the letter just read said that the standing committee on Thursday recommended that the Board shoidd let section 19 (next to the Westport Coal Company's section) at a rental of 10s per foot for 21 years, on condition that cool stores costing not less than £IOOO were erected there. The. price previously fixed on this section was £1 per foot, but it was deemed desirable to offer this concession in order to encourage the provision of cool stores here. If the cool stores were at any time abandoned the Board would not continue to let the section so cheaply. It would bo an excellent thing to nave a cool store for dairy produce, fish, etc., the fishing' industry was now assumiug large dimensions in Timaru. Other members endorsed the chairman's remarks. It was said that if the shipping companies would not call here for cool store produce, as was indicated in somi. of the correspondence, the project must fall through, but Mr Bowker questioned whether those who made such a statement carried any weight behind them, and members .generally agreed that if the produce was. here ships would call for it. It was decided to offer Mr Smitk the section on the terms named. Mr Orbell pointed out that while the Board, as a Board, should give every encouragement to the project, those members who could do so,' should support the ■ epol store in a practical i way, by sending produce to it.