SODIUM SHORTAGE FOR DRYING SKINS

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5330, 18 February 1947, Page 7

SODIUM SHORTAGE FOR DRYING SKINS

, Freezing Works Facing ,, Serious Position PALMERSTON NTH., Sunday. "A bombshell has descended on the freezing works industry which will put the brake on killing and affect us all generally," said Mr. A. Stewart, president of the Feilding branch of the Federated Farmers, when speaking at a meeting of the branch committee in reference to the fact that supplies of sodium, an important element used in the processing of skins and p^lts, were no longer available.

Sodium, he said, was mixed with lime, and this preparation was applied to the skins to facilitate their treatmenik Before the war, Japan and Belgium were the chief exporting countries of sodium and recently General MacArthur . had closed down on its export, excepting for America, from Japan. As the result of the war, cotiditions in Belgium were chaotic, and there had heen practically no exports of the commodity. New Zealand held considerable stocks prior to the w.ar, but these had now been almost completely exhausted. iSome freezing works t were right Out. The Feilding works was one without supplies, while some of the South Island works had very little.

The only alternatiye to -using- the sodium. and lime was to dry the skins, but to be successful in this method called for undercover accommodation. Freezing interests and Governmeht representatives met in Wellington to discuss the situation, feand decided to take over showground buildings, to be used for the purpose of drying skins. Showgrounds Taken Over In Palmerston ' North the showground buildings have 'been taken over and will be used j-ointly by the Longburn arfd Feilding works, while the Feilding showground buildings are also to he used by the local works. "The prospects are 'very bad} and the outlook for next season is by no means bright," said Mr. Stewart. "There will 'be a slowing down in killing and this will mean a longer season and greater costs. Handlmg charges will mount and in short, the whole of the freezing industry will be thrown out of gear."

Woolpacks and Bags There was also the matter of woolpacks and -bags, continued Mr. F-tew-art. He referred to the closing down of the Foxton factory because of the lack of water from the Manawatu River, arising from a cut in the river's course. The freezing industry made consid- | erable use of bags, and with the supply virtually cut off, it increased the problems of this industry which so rightly coneerned farmers. In spite of the fact that the war was over, the country was facing a period of shortages which materially affected the industry of the country. There was a further problem of the shortage of wire, it was stated. This was required to hang the skins. Mr. Bailey remarked that surely the Government would arrange for supplies of sodium to he released from Japan for New Zealand. Mr. Stewart did not know whether this would happen, but it did not appear likely since the Department of Agriculture had suggested that the only immediate solution of the "problem -was to attempt to dry the skins.