Michael Fowler: Napier freezing works didn't last

The North British and Hawke's Bay Freezing Works on the Western Spit (Westshore) looking towards Napier Hill about 1900. PHOTO/Collection of Hawkes Bay Museums Trust, Ruawharo Tā-ū-rangi, 2362 b

Napier's answer to the Hastings-based Nelson Bros Tomoana Freezing Works was the North British and Hawke's Bay Freezing Works.

The Hawke's Bay Herald reported: "Those of our readers who were acquainted with the Western Spit [Westshore] when it was the home of seagulls and shags will be surprised to see the change since spade was put to work on what was once the most barren and wild shingle banks in this colony, the Rangatira Reef.

"The pluck of the promoters of this company should arouse the sympathy and admiration of every settler and sheep farmer in this district, as a monopoly in any line of business is not accepted as of general benefit."

The paper was, of course, referring to the 1885-refrigerated Tomoana Works in Hastings.

The boilers for the works came from Wellington, and at the time were the biggest made by the supplying company.

The freezing chambers were from Haslam in Derby, England.

(Te Mata Station's John Chambers invented his own refrigeration system which received a US patent in 1883. He went to England in 1885 where it was built and showcased. William Nelson wanted to use Chambers' refrigerator, but delays in its availability meant he used a Haslam.)

The 1887 tender to build the works on land leased from the Harbour Board was won by Napier firm Glendinning and Griffin for £8167 (2017: $1.6 million) and was financed from London through its Napier agent and manager William Kinross-White.

The works opened in March 1888, and the first refrigerated shipment of meat was sent to England on the SS Coptic that month. Livestock from the South had to be transported to the works over the Westshore Bridge from Ahuriri.

The collapse of that bridge about 1910 meant livestock could not be brought from the South until a rail link reached the works in 1919.

When the Breakwater Port (present Port of Napier) was completed in 1893, this began to cause a gradual erosion of the Rangatira Reef, until the works was almost isolated on a shingle spit. This, of course, left no room to expand.

The North British works faced its stiffest competition from the Hawke's Bay Farmers (Whakatu) which opened in 1915. Struggling to keep afloat, North British closed in 1924. Its buildings remained until removed in 1933 (the 1931 earthquake had badly damaged them).

During the lowering of Whakarire Ave in 1958, one of the larger boilers from the works was uncovered and removed.

The other large boiler was apparently found in a garden property, but not removed, and covered up.

• Michael Fowler (mfhistory@gmail.com) is a chartered accountant and heritage officer at the Art Deco Trust.