FLETCHER’S REGAIN N.Z. LAMB ENTRY INTO IRAQ
W. & R. Fletcher (N.Z.) Ltd recently won an important lamb export contract with Iraq for a shipment of 4,000 tonnes of meat worth more than $6.5 million.
The sale concluded over the Easter weekend is an important one for New Zealand as it represents the first sale of New Zealand lamb to Iraq for two years.
The sale is part of a joint contract with Fletcher’s sister company in Australia, William Angliss, for 4,000 tonnes of lamb and 8,000 tonnes of beef worth more than $18 million in total.
The export sales manager of W. & R. Fletcher, Mr Bruce Bishop, said that although New Zealand had also tendered for the beef contract with the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture, New Zealand could not have made up the tonnage requirement of the specified cuts of manufacturing grade beef.
As a result Australia, which presently had a vast beef tonnage in stockpile at rates much cheaper than those quoted by New Zealand, was successful for the beef contract.
But Mr Bishop stressed the importance of the lamb contract to New Zealand.
“We won the tender against strong competition and consequently have obtained re-entry into the Iraqi market after a significant absence,” Mr Bishop said.
“Iraq and other Middle East countries have increased their per capita meat consumption dramatically in recent years and this market is a valuable one for New Zealand’s meat diversification sales programme.
“In addition a sale of this tonnage could encourage other overseas markets to bring forward their buying programmes” Mr Bishop said.
LIVESTOCK CORNER: RUGBY OR BEEF!
… Patea Freezing Company livestock buyer Eric Weir (left) and Waverly farmer/businessman Roger Boon are men well versed in both subjects. Pictured prior to cutting out 20 prime stock from a mob of 150 brought down from the “Waihau” hill run and boxed in a large yard for selection Eric and Roger required plenty of the team-work both men displayed on the rugby field in the past, even though they had the enthusiastic help of Roger’s son John (centre) who has already shown that he has a good eye for stock. With the exercise carried out in the heat of a South Taranaki summer’s day, and with no off season All Black tour to discuss, the topic under discussion was obviously “beef”.
A top class stockman, Eric, 44, also has an impressive rugby record representing Wanganui, Manawatu, Waikato and Taranaki before turning to refereeing and coaching before being appointed a Wanganui selector. Eric regreats [regrets] the days of “same-day” killing are now gone as he believed the early hours of the morning were the best part of the day with the dogs fresh and the stock running, saying that every hour’s drafting before breakfast was worth two after.
Roger, a former All Black and Taranaki Rep, now combines the fulltime operation of running Waihau, with directorships in two family businesses, Boon Bros, a timber mill business in New Plymouth, and Boon Hawkins Construction Ltd, which is presently building the new covered sheep and cattle yards at the Patea works. His 2,700 acre property, which includes a 1,600 acre hill run, carries 5,000 ewes and some 500 head of cattle. The family property has been a Patea works client for nearly 100 years.
KAITI FIREMEN SHOW THE WAY
The Gisborne Refrigeration Company’s works fire squad proved to be of invaluable assistance to the city brigade in controlling a recent fire at the works.
The volunteer brigade guided the city firemen straight to the seat of the fire and the two squads had the fire under control in only 1½ hours.
Fortunately the brigades were able to confine the fire to a section below the carton room and although a week’s killing and boning was lost through cleaning up operations the company was able to erect a temporary wall in the boning room and resume killing operations to handle boning of 250 cattle daily.
Reconstruction of the damaged area is being carried out as quickly as possible by the Fletcher Development and Construction Company.
PATEA WIN FIRE COMPETITION
The Patea Freezing Company Volunteer Fire Brigade won the group’s annual inter-works fire brigade competition held at Patea late last year.
Patea took the Albion Shield for aggregate points with 34 ahead of Westfield, 32 and Tomoana, 28. Patea also won the Four men laying line of hose and the four men FWP pump changeover with Westfield taking the other event, Four men FWP pump extension.
The competitors are pictured above with the Patea general manager, Mr R. L. Stewart, (far left) and Fletcher’s assistant general manager, Mr Peter Johnstone (second from left). Mr Johnstone presented the following honours earned during the year: two-year gold bar, CFO B. Minton, 35 years, two-year silver bars, third officer H. Katue 23 years, Firemen D. Kickey, 23 years, L. Anderson, 15 years, R. Hurunui, nine years, T. Mareura, seven years and a five year medal to fireman C. Kelson.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Former Tomoana company secretary, Charles Heald, who retired in 1959 after 52 years’ service, now spends much of his time looking after his garden in Hastings.
Charles started at Tomoana in 1907 when it was owned by Nelson Brothers and in 1914 he left with the 1st Contingent of New Zealand Troops to go overseas.
In 1918 he returned to Tomoana which joined the Vestey group in 1920 and was transferred to the then Auckland Head Office in 1926. In 1935 the Head Office was moved to Wellington where Mr Heald spent six months before transferring to Westfield.
Mr Heald was appointed Company Secretary at Tomoana in 1942 and remained there until 1959 when he retired at the age of 67.
Mr Heald’s wife died in 1964 and he has continued to live in Hastings – ably looking after himself. His son and daughter live in Wellington and he has a brother in Hastings. Mr Heald still has contact with many of his old friends at Tomoana.
STAFF MOVEMENTS
TRANSFERS: Mr Tom Mulligan from Tomoana to Patea as Works Superintendent (Meat).
APPOINTMENTS AND PROMOTIONS: Mr Maurice Taylor as Livestock Manager, Nelson Gisborne following the retirement of Mr J. McCredie, Mr Michael Knight as Works Superintendent (production/administration) Head Office, Mr David Bedford as Industrial Relations Officer Tomoana, Mr Alan Tolley as By Product Superintendent Tomoana; Mr Nigel Dobson as Manager Hastings Tannery following the return to UK of Mr B. Munden.
PATEA TEAM WEIGHS IN!
The Patea livestock buying division showed their expertise when they won a recent competition to judge the weight of a team of seven bullocks at the Stratford centenary county fair.
The four man Patea team of K. Hurley (Oakura), J. Twaddle (Inglewood), T. Gilbert (Stratford) and J. Marshall (Patea) proved too sharp for the teams entered by five other Taranaki freezing works and stock and station firms in the live-weight cattle judging competition, much to the delight of the Patea management.
The seven bullocks, which form part of a trained team, were given to the people of Stratford by Mr Chris Aplin, a Dannevirke farmer, and their appearance always draws a feature of interest to the younger folk and a note of nostalgia from many of the “old-timers” who remember the days when these teams were the mainstay of the cartage industry.
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