Newspaper Article – Meat Works never rebuilt

Reflections

Meat Works never rebuilt – Before the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, Hastings was home to Borthwick and Sons Paki Paki Meat Works which was situated halfway between Paki Paki and Longlands.

This photograph has been supplied by Alison and Denys Heaton of Hastings. Denys’ father, Dare Heaton, worked on the third floor of the meat works as the supervising meat inspector. Miraculously, he walked out of the ruins unscathed with [when] the earthquake struck and the building collapsed into a man-made lake by the works.

Mr Heaton says he remembers that day well because it took some time for his father to return home. His father was the first aid officer at the meat works so he was kept busy helping co-workers escape the rubble.

Borthwick and Co never rebuilt the Paki Paki Meat Works after it suffered irreparable damage in the earthquake.