MASTERTON PUBLIC ABATTOIR.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 6913, 25 July 1901, Page 3

MASTERTON PUBLIC ABATTOIR.

. « . h Proposed Company. 0 The Wattei* Before the t Borough Council. e At (he meeting of tho Maslerlon Dori. ongh Council, held Inst evening, the s following letter from Mr .1. 11. Keith, in i, reference lo the I'ublie Abattoir question, ;, was received:— i On behalf of a Company which it is j proposed to form for the purpose of * carrying on slaughtering, felhiiongery, . and kindred industries in or near the i Borough of Masterton, I beg lo submit a . rough online of the promoters' scheme, i as at present formulated, with the view of nsccrla'o'ng whether Ihe Corporation i would be prepared to delegate its powers [ under" The Slaughtering and lnspwlion > Act, 11)00," lo tho proposed Company on . Ihe terms indicated. 1 The capital of the proposed Company « would he not less than .CliOllO (with power lo increase), and it would not he formed ■ until at least X'oOOO was subscribed, i I'art of Ihe capital might lie raised by an ksue of preference shares, if ordinary paid-up shares to Ihc extent of, say, .£2OOO could not be placed, in addition to £11)00 of which, say half, would he called up. , The conditions on which the promoters suggest Hint Ihc powers of Ihe Cor- i poratiou should be delegated are ; (1) That the Corporation should guar- | anlee the slaltis of Ihe Company as its ( delegate under Suction lo of Ihe " Slaughtering and Inspection Act, 1000," for a term of not less than 21 i years. , ('2.1 That in the event of such delego- ( lion being determined by mutual consent i or otherwise, either before or after the t expiry of the said term Ihe abattoir con- i slructed by Ihe Company, with its ad- | juncls, shall be purchased by the (.'or- i poratiou at a valuation to be tixeil by arbitration in the customary luiirucr, J (i!) That in the event of such purchase being arranged the Company shall be v entitled lo interest at the rale of live per a cent, per annum on the purchase money l as against the Corporation from the date , when the Company's power to impose fees as delegates of the Corporation shall h have lapsed lo date of payment of pur- |{ chase luouev.

(•I) That, as under sub-section I! of section IS of the said Act, the charges made for the use of public abattoirs must be approved by the Minister of Agriculture, and as any scale of fees approved by the Minister may prove unreinuuerativc to tlic Company, cither on account of the Company's estimate of the number of stock to lie dealt with not being realised or for any other reason, the Corporation shall idemnify the Company against any loss in consequence of the fees being fixed at too low a rate; provided that the Company shall keep a separate account of its transactions as delegate of the Corporation apart front its other transactions in as accurate a maimer us the circumstances permit and shall be able to show that a loss has occurred in the ord'nary course of business and not through any gross negligence or mismanagement; provided further that no claim shall be made in respect of the loss made as aforesaid in any one year, If through the intervention of the Corporation, the Minister shall agree to a scale of charges which, m the opinion of two experts, one to be appointed by the Company, and one by the Corporation, or their refcrfe, shall he sufficient to recoup the Company during the ensuing year for any such loss,

(')). That in the event of that portion of the Company's profits arising from fees paid by butchers after deducting all charges, including depreciation on building, plant and machinery, exceeding 10 per cent on that portion of the Company's capital invested in the abattoir and its necessary adjuncts, such excess shall be refunded' to the butchers using the abattoir in proportion to the fees paid by them. (0). That the Company shall comply with the provisions of the Act and the requirements of the Minister in the construction, maintenance and management of the abattoir, A committee of the provisional directors of the Company is desirious of waiting upon the Council with the view of discussing the above proposal, and I shall be glad to learn whether the Council will be prepared to receive them at its meeting on Tuesday next. Messrs J. 11. Keith, A. Stcnipa, C. E. Danicll, and \\, ll.Chcnnells constituted the deputation which waited on the Council in reference to the question. Mr Keith said that the Directors considered it was advisable to approach the Council, in the first instance, with a view of discussing the matter. He suggested that tho question be relegated to a Committee The Chairman mentioned that the conditions outlined by the Directors contained a good deal of debatable matter which required consideration, It was advisable to refer the question to a Com-

Cr Elliott moved that the matter be . referred to the Abattoirs Committee, to meet the deputation and discuss the matter, and ultimately furnish a report. Mr Keith thought the Council would appreciate the position taken up by the promoters of the Company. It was not promoted with the view of a dividendearning concern, but rather of establishing an important industry in the district. It was also to assist the Council, as funds were required to erect the abattoir, The Directors desired that the question should be immediately dealt with. The Chairman informed the deputation that the Council did not wisli the question delayed, and stated that a meeting of the Committee would be held as early as possible.