Weddel’s World 1978 – April

Weddel’s World

WESTFIELD
TOMOANA
PATEA
KAITI – in conjunction with Gisborne Sheepfarmers Freezing Co. Ltd.

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
ISSUED BY
W. & R. FLETCHER (N.Z.) LTD

APRIL 78

N.Z. MUST KEEP UP THE FIGHT

The general manager of W. & R. Fletcher (N.Z.) Ltd., Mr Mark Hinchliff, has warned that New Zealand should not adopt a complacent attitude during the final negotiations for the European Common Market’s common sheep meats policy.

He said that it was regrettable that the publication of the draft regulations recently had been greeted with a philosophy of resignation.

Mr Hinchliff said that New Zealand could not afford to reduce pressure on the Common Market countries to protect the traditional and necessary lamb trade with Great Britain.

“If as a result of the regulations more lamb will be shipped out of Britain into Europe the price in Britain would rise significantly and this would have a severe effect on consumption in Britian [Britain],” Mr Hinchliff said.

“I am disappointed at what appears to be an attitude of inevitability from some people in the industry that as we will be getting a regulation in some form it is not worth resisting.

“In the foreseeable future the common market countries can nowhere near produce enough lamb tor consumption to replace the 230,000 tonnes of New Zealand lamb sent to the United Kingdom and Europe annually.”

The proposed regulations have also come under severe criticism from other sources. Mr Alan Bott, the chairman of the British conference lines, shipping companies which carry New Zealand farm produce to Europe, said that any cessation of New Zealand’s massive lamb exports to Europe was not only frightening to New Zealand but also to Britain.

Mr Bott said that a fall off in lamb imports would have a serious effect on the British economy and could throw thousands of Britain workers onto the dole queues.

The shipping lines, he said, were preparing their case for the British government. They faced serious difficulties if specialised ships introduced recently purely for trade with New Zealand were laid up, and unemployment would stretch to port authorities, stevedores, shipbuilders and repairers.

“Why should one bow the knee and stop a long and successful trade just to satisfy a French Farmer,” Mr Bott said. “Although it’s early in the negotiations it is better to shout before we get hurt, rather than after, and British housewives should join the fight before New Zealand is sold down the river.”

The view that New Zealand should fight hard to hold on to its trade with Britain was also voiced volubly by Lord Vestey the joint head of the Union International, of which the Fletcher group is a member.

During his recent tour of New Zealand Lord Vestey said that any regulation that would restrict the entry of New Zealand lamb to Britain would be bad.

Lord Vestey said that he himself, and the British meat importing trade as a whole, were fighting long and hard to retain the status quo for New Zealand lamb imports.

“We are a multi-national company, but we are fighting for New Zealand.”

He reiterated the view that any restriction on New Zealand lamb into Britain would have the side effect of pushing up the price, and it could meet with severe consumer resistance.

“The price would go through the roof if there were no New Zealand lamb in the United Kingdom. The price of lamb in France is presently about double that of Britain.

“We have got to remember what the situation is in Britain. We eat an awful lot of lamb.”

During his visit to New Zealand Lord Vestey visited the companies works operations, had talks with farmers and farmers’ representatives and members of the New Zealand government on the present state of New Zealand’s meat export trade.

G.M. ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

The general manager of W. & R. Fletcher (N. Z.) Ltd., Mr Mark Hinchliff, has announced that he will retire at the end of 1978. He will be succeeded by the company’s assistant general manager, Mr Peter Johnston.

Mr Hinchliff joined the Vestey organisation 46 years ago and he moved to Fletcher’s in 1972 as general manager after having worked in the organisation’s Australian, British and South American operations. He and his wife intend to remain in Wellington.

Mr Johnston joined the Vestey organisation in London in 1951 as a management trainee. He worked with the group’s Australian company, William Angliss, for a number of years before transferring to Wellington two and a half years ago.

LOCAL CONTACT IMPORTANT

The managing director of A.H. Hansen sales of Hawaii, Mr Art Hansen (right) is given the latest details of the New Zealand meat export trends by W. & R. Fletcher export sales staff, Mr Bruce Bishop (left) and Mr Dennis Frederickson, during his recent visit to Wellington.

Mr Hansen, who has held the exclusive Weddel agency for meat imports into Hawaii for the past 23 years, runs one of the largest importing companies on the Island and in addition to N.Z. meat imports, also buys considerable rock lobster and fish from A. H. Turnbull in Christchurch.

A regular visitor to New Zealand (he has made the journey 15 times), Mr Hansen stresses the importance of an on-the-spot assessment for his import planning.

“It is an opportunity to give our Views to the sales and shipping experts, keep abreast of changing trends and the development in the various plants which could alter production techniques and most importantly keep our business contacts up,” he said.

Last year Hansen’s handled more than 26 percent of New Zealand beef imports into Hawaii in a very competitive market. This was made up of about 60 percent of manufacturing beef and 40 percent primal cuts. The company is a major supplier to hotels and restaurants and is presently endeavouring to get the trade to feature New Zealand lamb.

Apart from his talks with Fletcher’s head office staff, Mr Hansen also toured the Westfield freezing company and found time to take his wife Jennie for a brief successful trout fishing holiday at Taupo and a less successful visit to the Trentham summer race meeting where he said he did his bit to help New Zealand’s balance of payments problem.

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.

WESTFIELD LONG SERVICE

A total of 40 retired Westfield staff attended a function with Lord Vestey in Auckland during his recent visit to New Zealand.

The group had amassed a massive joint 1330 years service between them which averaged out at a little more than 33 years each.

The group, pictured above ae [are] (from left): Back Row: Doug Clark, Arthur Knight, Tom Jones, Harvey Forder, Ken Lyons, Laurie Hallett, Doug Gallaher, Jack Turnbull, Ben Fuller, Arthur Tofield, Jack Edmonds, Alf Frost, Jim Wayby, Harold Mann, George Ross, Cyril French, Bert Todd, Bob Saul, Bill Bull, Frank Long, Normal Hall. Middle Row: Charlie Gilbert, Jack Dryland, Ernie Bowen, Lord Vestey Edna Thornburn, Bob McCullough, Ray Andrews, Jack Parry, Ted Finn, Arthur Todd, Hughie McGregor. Front Row: Allen Foster, George Clark, Fred Kemplay, Alex Ayton, Bill Gray, Wally Dear, Dave Wallace, Gordon Cameron, Mervyn King.

CRICKET TOURNEY

The Westfield works retained the W. & R. Fletcher (N.Z.) Ltd shield they won last year when they upheld their advantage over last year’s runners-up in the recent group cricket tournament held at Taupo.

But it didn’t all go Westfield’s way, as Patea, who were set 172 to win, reached 100 for four wickets and seemed well placed to reverse the tables. A devestating bowling spell by M. Cowsill, who finished the match with six wickets for 47, was the main factor behind Patea’s overall dismissal for only 103, with the last six wickets falling for only three runs. Cowsill was also Westfield’s top scorer on 46 with M. Bremner reaching 35 and T. King 32.

In the playoff for the wooden spoon Tomoana had a narrow six run with over Wellington Head Office. Tomoana 184 (G. Armstrong 52, M. Birkett 51, T. Barnden 3 for 6 and S. Mills 2 for 16) beat Wellington 178 (T. Barnden 35, N. Papatsoumas 31, G. Armstrong 4 for 22 and McLean 3 for 14).

Photo caption – The winning Westfield eleven.

RETIREMENTS

Westfield general manager, Mr Gordon Taylor (right), farewelled by-product co-ordinator, Mr Harold Norris on his retirement after a period of 30 years’ service with the company. Mr Taylor made a presentation on behalf of Harold’s many friends at Westfield.

Westfield company secretary, Mr Malcolm Parker, also recently retired after 20 years’ service, having started his career as financial accountant.

OBITUARIES

Condolences to the families of Tom Kennedy and Ron and Doug Dickey, all formerly of Westfield, who died recently.

Mr Kennedy joined the Westfield rendering department in the mid ’20’s and retired ten years ago after serving as foreman for the last 25 years of his service.

Ron Dickey, senior boning room foreman, and his son Douglas, who also worked at Westfield, were killed in a motor car accident in which Ron’s wife and daughter were seriously injured.

Tomoana works clerk, Mr Lindsay Jackson, who had worked for the company for 50 years, died recently. He started as a labourer in 1928 working on the chain and after losing a leg in an accident in 1933 became a clerk, working the last 20 years as a scales clerk.

A former manager of the Patea Freezing Company, Mr John Eric Taylor, died in Hawera recently, aged 77.

Eric joined Fletchers in Auckland in 1917 where he rose to be joint accountant. With the transfer of the company’s head office to Wellington in 1935 he moved to Westfield in similar position until he transferred to Patea as manager of the works. After a brief spell in head office he returned to Patea until his retirement in 1966.

PATEA GOLD WATCHES

The general manager of the Patea Freezing Company, Mr R.L. Stewart, recently presented four gold watches to members of his staff who have completed 40 years’ service. Pictured after the presentations the group are from left, Mr Stewart, Norman Leppard, rendering foreman who retired after completing his 40 years, Fred Adams, Casings Foreman, Doug McLellan, grader and Courtenay Hermon, fellmongery foreman.

COMPANY PROFILE

Harry Beauchamp, by-products manager, joined W. & K. Fletcher in the head office shipping department in 1951. He transferred to by-products under Jack Lord in 1956 and took over as manager in 1970 when Mr Lord was appointed to the meat side of the cost and production department. In the past 20 years Harry has seen if many marked changes in by-product production including the complete development of the bulk tallow industry, and significant changes in the processing of hides and pelts. He says one gratifying point has been the close cooperation between the industry and the Leather and Shoe Research Association which has achieved a significant progress in processing hides and pelts reaching a high standard that is respected throughout the world. He adds that the complete palletisation of most types of cargo and the current transition from regular to container shipping has led to a smoother operation at works level and a revolution in export procedures. Harry and his wife Judy have two children, Tony, 21, and Mandy, 19. A keen sportsman, Harry concentrated on cricket in his younger days and now plays bowls and golf.

W. & R. FLETCHER NZ.) Ltd.
(PRINTING DEPT.)