FREEZING WORKS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23260, 23 July 1945, Page 3

FREEZING WORKS

An Important Issue Co-operative Enterprise Or ; Sale (N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON. July 19. The most important co-operative en- j terprise issue in the history of the l meat industry was discussed by the New Zealand Farmers' Union to-night. ! A remit was put by the Dominion executive, iA> that a committee be set up to discuss with the Meat Board and the electoral college of th? board a policy of co-operative ownership of any suitable freezing works which might be offered for sale and the question of financial assistance' from the Meat Board be fully discussed. <B> that proposals for acquiring freezing works to be operated on a co-operative basis be. supported. <C> that placing of a caveat on the sale of meat works be endorsed and the Meat Board be asked I to place full data before farmers at the earliest possible moment. This was approved unanimously. Mr J. L. Hammond (Marton) said | members had been put on the Meat i Board two years ago to stop the sale of further works to overseas interests. The Board had decided on a co-opera-tive policy as an alternative. The Government would accept a farmers' co-operative or failing that, allow a sale to Swifts. There would be no “Dry” shareholders in such co-opera-tive' works, but holdings would be on the basis of stock offered. The works would be for killing only. If farmers wanted an operating company they must be prepared to do as they had before, lose hundreds of thousands of pounds and their works. Ngarauhanga was a key works killing 600.000 sheep and leased to Swifts for five years on a lease due to expire in September. It would be unfortunate if the works came on to the market, though it was a bad works to start a co-operative scheme. The fact remained that it was offered and Mr G. H. Grigg and he* had addressed meetings between Taihape and Wellington, but they were reluctant to give a 10 year guarantee to supply stock. The policy of the Meat Board was and would continue to be to refuse to give the works to Swifts. It was unfortunate that past boards had allowed the position to I drift. Wonderful central works in good districts had been allowed to go 1 to overseas interests. There were three : courses. <1) The rationalisation of the I meat industry. (21 The old way of I raising share capital in which they I had lost both their money and works and (3) the only logical plan devised by Mr Mulholland and himself, the co-operative principle. which had been proved in the dairy industry and. I where truly tried, had rarely failed.