STOCK MARKET REVIEW

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 280, 16 February 1928, Page 14

STOCK MARKET REVIEW

TROUBLE AT WESTFIELD LOSS TO THE FARMER The Sun Office, • Wednesday, 9 a.m. Undoubtedly the feature of the week, so far as New Zealand graziers are concerned, has been the trouble at the Westfield Freezing Company s works. Thousands of pounds sterling are being sacrificed for a principle. , A CTUALLY the trouble arose over the payment of 4Jd, the extra rate allowed by the award for the slaughtering of stag sheep. A disagreement arose over the grade of one carcase which passed over the Westfield boards, and now both parties are at a deadlock and, up to the moment, neither shows signs of giving way. In addition to the loss in wages occasioned by the freezing workers thrown out of employment, the company will be heavy losers. Apart from the loss involved by the holding up of the works in the busy season, stock were actually on the road when killing operations ceased. A considerable numbere were also booked for delivery this week and will have to be held back in the meantime. This, in a time when feed is scarce, should result in a loss both to the farmer and the buyer. It is well known that in a season like the present, once stock have been brought up to a certain state of primeness it is unprofitable to hold them longer. Luckily for the company the farmer is apparently standing behind it in its dispute, and all stock on the road are reported to have been found temporary grazing. There is little likelihood of the company giving way, and, when it is considered that the policy of free labour brought into force at the beginning of last season will certainly be adopted again next week if a settlement is not reached, the Do-minion-v/ide importance of the dispute can be realised. Fortunately for the farmer the peak of the lamb season is over and, whereas in the two Auckland works between five and six thousand were being handled daily four weeks ago, offerings had fallen to less than 1,000 a day when the trouble started. To-day, the bulk of the offerings comprise big sheep and cattle. Cattle are coming forward freely, but supplies of wethers and ewes are not sufficient to keep the slaughtermen going full time. The effect of the trouble was registered at Westfield yesterday, when sellers were apparently frightened out of the cattle sections, and a very small offering came forward, resulting in even the local butchers requirements being under estimated, and values hardened in some cases up to £1 a head. Sheep were decidedly easier, while the shortest yarding of lambs seen for over two months only sold at late rates. Normal yardings would have seen an allround fall in values. The market for breeding ewes continues firm throughout the country, but the demand for this class of stock should ease toward the end of the present month.