Starch Factory Meeting.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1724, 24 August 1885, Page 2

Starch Factory Meeting.

The adjourned meeting in connection with the proposed Starch Factory wag held at the Greytown institute on Saturday night, Mr Cuff in the chair. Mr Coleman Phillips spoke, and referred to communications he had received from different settlers favorable to the project, also one from Mr John Hall. Mr Bacon, of Mastodon, had sent some late and valuable information upon the matter, and stated that at one time he thought o£ starting the industry himself; he had also sent a prnctutai treatise on the manufacture of,starch. Mr .Jackson had written stating that potato growing had always been a paying business in this district. Mr Braithwaite, of >Vaihak"kn. had sent an analysis of the quantity of starch to bo found in the potato, showing 0 percent, for kidney and 15 per cent, for ordinary potatoes, and wishing tbs project success. Mr Phillips said that the colony imported annually 250 tons cl starch at a value of .4,(5000, and that it required 15,000 tons of potatoes to supply the demand. It was an easy matter to make other articles from the starch. By adding a little sulphuric acid, it could be turned into an ingredient used extensively in breweries ■; it was called glucose, a sort of sugar, and 11,000 tons could be utilised for this purpose alone. As regards the demand for potatoes, independently of such industries, they were importing about eight tons and exporting 20,000 according to last year's returns. Some persons said the district was not lit to grow potatoes, but he contended that no better land for the purpose could be found than on the banka of the rivers and streams, notably thebanks of theßuamahunga throughout its course. Only about 50 acres hod as yet been used for this purpose in the district. He thought 50s per ton would pay the mower admirably, and the Factory could afford to pay that, but he would not wish for farmers to sell at that if they could get better. Ho thought it would be necessary for the

Starch Factory to ho carried on apart from the Cheese Factory, although they might be near each other, iu order that the whey unn the potato pulp might be convenient for the use of the piggeries. A Ham and Bacon Factory was also necessary iu connection, so that one thing might work in with the other for the general good, and the settlers as well might have a local market for their pigs which would fetch them a fair price for hams and bacon. He said it would bo well to get the Featherston, Masterton and Carterton, people to co-operate. He did not say positively it would cost £l2 to make a ton of starch, but he considered they would have £l7 to come and go upon. Mr Phillips here produced an illustrated book upon the manufacture of starch, showing the process, He pointed out the advantages of the latest improvements, and estimated that, the cost of machinery, Ac., would amount to £IOO. He described the hot air system of drying the article in these factories, and minutely described the other stages of preparation. Mr Phillips explained that wheat contained fifty per cent of starch, and rice was nearly all starch and dextrine, which was almost the same in substance as gum arable, and largely used in the manufacture of lollies; he said the slightest alteration by chemical action would turn this facile into quite a different matter. The speaker in concluding said that his head ploughman, who had been a practical home farmer, thought that 35s per ton for potatoes would pay well. Mr Phillips quoted tho following figures 2-15 tons of starch imported value, £6717, equal (to £27 a ton. Duty, £753 10s 6d. It takes five to six tons of potatoes to make one ton of starch, so that it would be necessary to grow 1500 tons of potatoes to supply present demand. 213 tons of glucose imported value £4089 or £2O a ton. Duty £1236 19s 6d. 1100 tons of potatoes will be required for this purpose. Then there are exported 19.225} tons of potatoes, value £53,536, or £2 15s Gd a ton. There is also £11575 worth of maizena and corn flour imported. The Chairman said he would like to get some fuller information in the matter; ho would like them to know the probable cost of manufacture, machinery, necessary buildings, &c. The information would require to be more definite, if potatoes were to be carried from a distance. Would not the cost of carriage tell against the profits of the producer ? Mr Hall, eenr.,next addressed the meeting, and said that he had taken more than an ordinary interest in the project to have been induced to be present on that occasion. He said he had read an article in the Standard in July last which he supposed they must have all seen : he also quoted an article he had perused in the Standard six years ago. He had made farina about that time, not in a scientific manner as Mr Phillips advocated but in a way that would pay. He would prefer a patent mangle or a biscuit machine, to all the modern ideas set forward in the book produced by Mr Phillips. He read at some length some experiences lie had of farina making in the years ’45 to ’4B when the potato disease was prevalent in Ireland ; how he made the article then at small cost, and also describing the maize imported from America at that time; he said he could establish a starch factory on a sound basis for £2OO, and he calculated by Mr Phillip’s system the company would lose on every ton of starch. He hoped to travel next mouth, all over the island when the settlers should receive the benefit of his experiences. Mr Buchanan, M.H. 11., next addressed the meeting, and said tho Wairarapa should be very much indebted to Mr Phillips for the time and attention he had devoted to this subject ; any impetus that could bo given to a new industry in these times of depression must be an advantage indeed. Mr Phillips had told them that they had imported 250 tons of starch last season at a total value of L6ooo—being L 27 per ton. The next question likely to arise was, were would they get a market for a large quantity ? They were to conclude that each person used one pound of starch on an average, it would take some years to raise the demand to 500 tons per annum and they could not hope to export much. (Mr Phillips : “ But bow about glucose ?’’) That was all very well, but supposing with these adjuncts we doubled the quantity required, could we supplant the imported article? A shrewd man of business, a member of Parliamnt, had informed him that the thing could not be touched, with potatoes above 30s per ton. If the movement was to be set on foot letjit be on a sound basis, and full enquiries should be made iu every direction. It was to be considered that Starch Factories at home could get labour for about 15s to 18s per week and the employees had to find themselves. It was useless to expect that they could got people hero to work for that wage. That was a point that should strike them, He knew that starch had been made from diseased potatoes, but he had no idea of the expense of production. He at one time thought that the working of a Starch Factory would not involve much expense, but many things were to be considered. Could the Wairarapa supply potatoes at 30s a ton? He had paid as high as £lO. and he believed the average had not been below £3 10. Last year Canterbury supplied 2000 tons of produce to this district, and no doubt potatoes were a considerable item in the amount, so that the farmers here had evidently not found potato growing sufficiently profitable even at £3 10a. They must ask, Can wo compete with Canterbury as a whole? They could not. Canterbury had greater facilities; for 20 miles along the seaboard, north of Christchurch, large paddocks without without a stick, stump or stone were available and well suited for the purpose every year. In answer to Mr Phillips tbo speaker said that 10 to 12 tons per acre was the Canterbury average. At Kuratiwhiti the land was kind and easily worked, but potatoes could only be grown there every alternate season. Then the late frosts did damage ; he had seen potatoes cut down at Christmas time. Messrs Bidwiii had told him that they could always buy potatoes cheaper than grow them- If Starch Factories would pay, why bad the Canterbury people not taken the matter up ; they could deliver potatoes at their railway stations at 25s per ton. Iu Warnambool, Australia, they paid high rates for their land and often have to face 25s per ton. So long as they paid attention to tho growing of stock and wool he was satisfied that they could face any competition that could bo brought ug dust them, but for his part lie preferred to grow bis mutton, beef and wool, and allow Ins neighbors iu Canterbury to supply him with potatoes. He could get Ida profit on his enterprise ns a grazier, and the Canterbury farmer was welcome to what lie could realise from his agriculture. Ho (the speaker) had tried wheat growing in the Wairarapa, but preferred ut tho present time to leave that pursuit to others. There was another matter that was to bo considered, the dairy factory started in October, and potatoes were not in season till January, How would that work ? If they started the project let them i; r-t bo sure that it would pay them, and spo that they were not hampered by insufficient capital, as that would cripple them from the onset. Sir Julius Vogel had informed lam that if Mr Phillips asked lor an extension of time, say twelve months, ho could get the "ivrac granted. Phillips said his one reply to Mr Buchanan v. as, if tho state of Maine could successfully support 28 factories all doing well, ami the fanners all doing well, why could wo not support one factory here where labor is about the same price. Ho relied on the fattening of 300 pigs. It probably had not ye: occurred to the Canterbury people and they should take tho initiative. Mr Haigh’a crops had been good, so also had Mr Hollard’s, who told him he had 8 or 10 acres in crop for the last seven years; he hud grown potatoes himself, and had never had them out down by frost. Mr Buchanan said he should not expect frosts at Tauherenikan, only in enclosed basin shaped areas. Mr Phillips said that the Maoris had of late paid much attention to potato growing. Mr Buchanan said that from Mr Phillip’s remarks they could come to no other conclusion than that the farmers of the Wairarapa, for a number of years, had been so blind to their own interests, or so unintelligent as not to see tho necessity of growing potatoes. If this was not tho text of the

argument then it wan worth * >''thiu;; ; ho L-iped the prcpp would notic thi . Mr Heagcily thought th.-farmm ■ tr.ke lens tlmu £• J or 1.3 10s for potaloe-i 1:1 this district. MrF. H. Wood s»id they had to educate the farmers in thin wittier ; they hud hither 0 been too well off, or luu ucgiigi ut to stu ty this part of their ini < rests. It wnK an undoubted disgrace Unit many prod-it ;i- ns which should he grown in Hie Wairarapa iiad to tie inputted. He was uslud recently such an absurd price for notables grown in the Wairarapa that it simply meant getting them from C.Tilerbury. They should improve the laud by the cultivation of these cereals, and ho thought the farmers generally were beginning to wake np a little bit to thus act. He had to import (o'er GO tons of potatoes this year, and tin y might have all been grown in the Wairarapa and with profit to our settlers ; lie did not think tho laud was so suitable fot wheat. Mr Phillips would like to impress upon the meeting that tiiey would have GOO gam d whey running to waste every day. T bat circumstance alone has got no weight with the Canterbury people lie should say ■\Vanmmbaol had not yet started a dairy factory. Mr Udy said it would be well to form a committee. Tho Chairman said lie would recommend that they adjourn the meeting sine, die until they get the required data from America, as pi cruised by the Government. Mr Phillips could in the meantime apply for a year’s extension of time, ro the application for bonus. This wus put to tiie meeting and agreed upon, Mr Bucha ran promising to obtain all the necensaiy information possible pending the returns from the GovernmentA vote of thanks was passed to Mr Hall for his information. A hearty vote of thanks w.is also unanimously accorded Mr Phillips for Ins exertions, and a vote of thanks to tbo choir concluded the proceedings. It is understood that Mr Phillips will shortly addrest the settlers on the subject in the other towns of the Wairarapa.