PIG PROBLEMS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 410, 20 January 1909, Page 5

PIG PROBLEMS.

CO-OPERATORS SQUEEZED, BETWEEN BIG FIRMS AND RAILWAY RATES.

Some interesting things about pigs and the bacon industry said at a meeting of the Taranaki Executive of tho Farmers" Uniou last week. In tho conrso of that meeting a lotter was read from Mr. J. TJre Murray urging the DGcd of a reduction of freight on bacon on the line between Now Plymouth breakwater and Wellington. His letter said .—"During the winter, farmers in tho south got 6d. per lb. for pork for live pigs against our sd, or even the 4d. wo p.re now getting. In old times fanners were getting as low as 2jd. , per lb. for their pigs, and co-operative bacon companies at Inglewood, Eltham, and elsewhere were started to remedy this state of things. Those companies are at the present time handicapped through low rates of freight granted for the carnago of lire pigs to Wellington, whilst the railage on bacon remains as nigh as ever. About 100 per cent less, weight for weight, is charged for live pigs i than for bacon A live pig can be delivered in Wellington from Eltham for a good deal less than the carcass of tho same animal manufactured 'into bacon, and consequently weighing half as much Wellington and Chnstchurch bacon companies have had their interests conserved and. nuitured by tho Government in tho mattor of railway freight. Tho farming community would bo grateful if the Farmers' Union would approach the Government on their behalf, for though I am a director of a co-operative bacon company I submit that the interests of all dairy farmers are affected." A Dlabolloal Squeeze. Mr. Murray, va. a speech, explained that he was awaiting information flora tho luglevrood Company before he could make a complete statement on the subject. He said that just now the minds of farmers are a good deal exorcised regarding the pneo of' pork. It > was a big item m tho income from a daiiy farm; but the locxl factories were greatly 1 hampered by the high rate of freight on bacon to New Plymouth and Wellington, and were in danger of being crushed 'out by the" big Wellington ard Christehurch companies, which practically had the business conserved for their speci.il benefit by the low rate of freight which they obtained on live pigs. The farmers, in his opinion, were being squeezed in a most diabolical way; and it would pay them to move the local factories to Wellington Live pigs were taken down for £1 a ton, whereas bacon cost about £2 to carry. It was not bo much that the freight on bacon should be reduced as that the concession in regard to live weight in favour of the large companies should be done away with. It enabled them to sell in Wellington to tho small companies' great disadvantage, which' were paying a tax to enablo the big companies to got a big profit and to extinguish • the co-operative industry. The bijr companies had spread the report that the Blthara Baeon Factory was going to be knocked on the head, and'that others would follow suit Ho (the speaker) brought this mattor up for discussion, as it was a question of great interest tc the farmers, who 'were feeling the hardship very much Tho' Government carried the live' pigs below cost price, and the local factories had no , help of that kind in regard to bacon.i h < • Mattor of 2s. a Pig. The chairman' (Mr. Maxwell) said the low freight on live pigs was a benefit to the sollers. and with competition they were muoh more likely to get a fair price than otherwise ■ Competition resulted in a .better class of bacon and a better market for thoso Tvho raised tho pigs. Mr Murray maintained that the loweimg of the freight on live pigs to Wellington was likely to extinguish tho local companies, and to eventually rosult in lowering the price of pigs and raising the price of Won. Tho chairman said it was a matter of about 2s a pig, and there were other directions in which more than 2s a pig might easily vanish. Two shillings a pig was not going to kill the local factories if they could compete in other points On the motion of tho chairman, further consideration of the question was held over until the next meeting