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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]
The New Zealand Refrigerating Company, Limited
The New Zealand Refrigerating Company, Limited , was incorporated in 1881, and is the pioneer freezing company of New Zealand. The capital of the company was originally £40,000, but has since been increased to £60,000. The first works built were at Burnside, near Dunedin, and a year or two afterwards works were erected at Oamaru. The system of refrigerating was then Haslam's dry air process, but this, together with all the original machinery, has since been superseded, and during the last year or two the most modern appliances have been installed. Both works are now equipped on the ammonia compression system, with plants supplied by the Hercules Company. The Burnside works have been practically rebuilt during the last few years, and are now capable of dealing with 1500 sheep per day. In addition to the stock handled, there has also been, of recent years, a large business in connection with the export of frozen rabbits, and 1000 crates—equal to 25,000 rabbits—have been handled in one day. The Oamaru works are capable of dealing with 1000 sheep per day. Although the company originally froze only stock, on account of the owners, it now deals with nearly its entire output on its own account. The various side branches of the business have all been developed, and complete tallow, manure, and other works for dealing with offal and by-products have been erected. The company is also interested in wool from the sheepskins, so that the business is now of great magnitude. The company's twentieth annual report, published in July, 1903, shows that in its operations for the year 242,588 sheep and lambs, 4,379 cattle, and 45,135 crates of rabbits were dealt with. A dividend of 8 per cent, was declared to shareholders, in addition to a very substantial sum being added to the reserve fund. The late Mr. E. B. Cargill was one of the promoters of the company, and was an energetic director up to the time of his death. At present (1904) the Board of Directors consists of Messrs John Roberts, C.M.G., (chairman). Thomas Brydone, A. C. Begg, W. Patrick, James Smith, junior, Watson Shennan, and Donald Borrie, well known as leading pastoralists and business men in Otago.