STRIKES AND MEAT PRICES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 710, 8 January 1910, Page 8

STRIKES AND MEAT PRICES.

;y. x;A i; POSSIBLE' EFFEJCTS:'}..;;.,:;,-:' ;■; -Tho.jtlireatened'. striko,'■; of ,Wellington, slaughtermen .'suggests'.interesting to 'a ;number..bf.,tho:ibigTl;bndon.- meat' interests' : yesf:e'rday:::{AV; strike.Vin'ust : 'ieces3arily.: stop, •London;supplies-sb/far3is;jN6'w-Zealand is cbnp'Nncd,\whitihvnin^ , '.pxo^^a',serio<i3 : ■thing- to^this/country.-,-;;lt;.happens; just •npV>;tlJat : tne'- : Home\'demahi..i§-sloy^prd-) 1 ers;..from'-London, sca.fi, are-not easy.;tb •obtain/;aid;it ■ is ■ generally: beliexed. that' 'the':meat .companies have on their, hands ■ a considerable .quantity'.of meat-that' is yet-unsold.-. The. news'of the approaching' strike,, hdweveiy may'.suggest, to London,j interests. , the^adyisability.'of securing sup-! pliesiwithbut'-u'elay« lost-the-outpu t' should ! Ah Increase' of- prices-!would ■ then •; bo a very naturat sequel.; "A..'. , _C-.~i.'."ir. .-■: ■ - '■■,',."■.-, ■■~;.: j•■ ;.■-The'pbssib'ilities fori'harttiihowever.are. sufficiently'great, ;ThbughVthb liarm done' to. the ■ freezing'.- companies 'at 'whomj thb :blow. ; is' ■.■aimed ': may .."be'%"comparatively , ' /small,-;the.ricochet , must'hit tho farmers , j in.: theteountry ;.with'.. considerable';: force.. T.ho. closing of the freezing'works:'at';tho height of'-what" mayll)e.;termed the .meat I hnmst;wpu]d inflict great'hardship upon ■tho lamb "and 'mutton,raisers' (many./, of. 'whoinlaro'srnallholders),"arid;place some ■of serious ...straits :;• with ; .their ; ■stpck; : VFat:lambs-and:fat sheep aro. very apprppriately;styled'. : .''penshabl6,. goods,:' [ ;becauso'i .when:; oncb^theyVhav'o"..reached |.that-.'Etage. , of t ''priineness:f6r .which-.tho bu.tclierr.is ■waitiiiK : .they.:'miist be- slaugh--1 te'red-'br ..they: willvdoteriorate.-nThciugh the abundance,of',feedi 'oh;all ifarms this i,Eeasbn : ';quite removes-;any'fear. - .-'.of'. tho; stock starvinEitho'prospect.whicli.a strike .wilß.not :b'e" .welcomed by;,; the Ustfugglingr.mert on;the' land.; . It: is?; a. i point ■ to;'which".both -employers ; and york-' ers'Vmay.-;,wnll;'Tg'iyb .;their':earnest ; atte'n- ', tiori'when .di6cussing;'a;'settlement. ■ ;• -.-';;; ;.\Tliat,'a slaughtermen's .strike' just now would -'produce to'isbme eitent: a national i .calam'.ifyi:andrcheek the'/revival..cf;pros-' :'perity' : that- 1 eyeryonb'-'sees:.' beginning, is ■also very obyio'us. ; With"good cheques for tUeir^wool:- , and ; an ; : BxceUent ! ."6eason; for dairyXproduce, , the-farmers had'bcgunj-'to: "figured on ■■■ making, extensive.- improvements -that v,wpnld ;J haveV increasedemployment aridcarried-gre'ater business, to tiie "email ;tradespebple.-Biits the .spectre-of 'meat works' will .'be- bound- to, consider'ably modify any ■ such "• "excellent inten-; tions.:j»A strike, ;in. : short, iwouldgive^a; ':bad ! 'set-back;, to Hlie.well-bfeing,. oi;,tko ;%holo'ic6raiminity/: ; '.;:■■:'■'•; 'CM'■:■: --';,;■-.' :ir: The'.farmers ;could. ; be..relied;pn::to-safe : 'guard: themselves, so:':far:.as possible by restricting' their.. oxpeinditure; on improve{irients.iand'extensibps, : '-,and.; thus,;■; while , )*jieir'^'.financial "/might '-.remain, Katisfactory.'.wheii/nlliis'.pver, -the -benefit' 'of ! -the: increased .employment.-. now/.; con- ; tcinplated Nvould;be;.sweptitp :,: the. winds.. In. these'circumstances, the -sympathy of; the",publip is npt/likely. to; go -out .to the,. f strikers,'>whij"receive;a -rate, of pay. which' to-.the.average , intelligen.ee. .appears'-'.to show ■ ayyery/Dandsoino, yield ,to; competent' workmehV/^j-e 1 ;^^;';/^;-^^^ , ;;'-'^.: