The job-hungry town of Waitara supports the setting up of a meat products factory which is at risk of legal action, New Plymouth Mayor Peter Tennent says.
In the High Court at Wellington yesterday Mr Tennent gave evidence for ANZCO Foods, a company that wants to make meat patties, beef jerky,salami and weiner sausages for export at the Waitara site.
ANZCO bought the old Affco freezing works site this year, but Affco says a 20-year "encumbrance" registered against the title prevents ANZCO's $22 million factory project going ahead. The encumbrance says the site cannot be used for slaughtering, further processing, cooling or freezing of lamb, sheep, bobby calves, cattle or goats.
Mr Tennent said Waitara's unemployment rate was more than 17 per cent and nearly 70 per cent of people with jobs earned under $20,000. The hearing is expected to end next week.
