OPOTIKI FREEZING WORKS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2545, 5 July 1909, Page 5

OPOTIKI FREEZING WORKS

COMPANY FORMED. WITH. CAPITAL OF £30,000. (From Our Special Correspondent.) At a meeting held in Opotiki on Thursday, July Ist, in the Burns’ Club room, for the purpose of receiving the report of the committee appointed to collect information upon the subject, of forming a Meat Freezing Company at Ohiwa, there was, an attendance of between 1301, and 140 people, nearly alt being Opotiki and Whakatane settlers and business men. Mr.. J. T. Tabb, chairman of. the committee, occupied tlie chair, and in a careful report of the work performed, stated that the committee had decided to recommend t-o the meeting that a company be formed for _ the purpose. Tho opinion of the. committee was that works suitable for the district would ■cost as nearly as they could estimate about £17,000 or £IB,OOO. . These works would be capable of dealing with 450 sheep per day, and would have appliances for dealing with all necessary bye-products. This amount, with £2OOO for. two- lighters, would bring the venture to £20,000. A canvass of th© Opotiki and Whakatane Counties had resulted in shares to the amount of £6OOO having been applied for. This amount, tho committee thought, would justify immediate steps being taken to form tho company, with tho object of being able to start tho works in 19jll. The chairman also mentioned that fat stock equivalent to 40,000 sheep -per annum lia-ct also been promised. . After various questions relative to the procuring of site and formation of the company had been answered by t-lie chairman and, Mr. Tolliurst, it was moved by Mr. J. B. Gordon—“ That a company to be called The Bay o Plentv " Freezing Works Company, Ltd with a capital of £30,000, be formed for the purpose 9 f erecting freezing works and conducting freezing business at Ohiwa. ' That seven provisional directors be appointed at this meeting to take all necessary steps to give effect to the same.” , , ,r The motion was seconded by Mr. Ryan and Mr. Cooper, and unanimously adopted by the meeting. 1 he provisional directors were: Messrs J. A • Tabb, J. B. Gordon, lveegan, Ryan, Bentley, Skipper,; and W. McLean Before the close, of tlie meeting, Mi* C. Gordon moved: “That this meeting of Opotiki ‘and Whakatane settlers would urge icon the Government that all unoccupied Crown and native land in the Opotiki and Whakatane counties be made available for settlement as soon as possible, and that a copy of tins resolution bo forwarded to Mr.' AN . L>. S MacDonald, M.P., asking lum to bring the matter under the notice of ■ ..■ ■ , | / . ' • : ;

the Governments” The- mover pointed}. ; out that there were unoccupied lancffg to the extent of. over 1,000,000 acres op , J native land • and- over 800,000 acres of Crown land, nearly two million acres in all. This amount of land, if made j available for settlement, would speedily . solve tlie question of. the supply o*>ss stock for the freezing works. Tho resolution was unanimously adopted. With a heart}' vote of thanks to the committee for their trouble, proposed j by Mr. Tolkins, a most.enthusiastic and appreciative meeting, was brought to a close.