MEAT FOR EXPORT.

Taihape Daily Times, 1 May 1919, Page 5

MEAT FOR EXPORT.

o HELD UP IN STORES

POSITION ACUTE

Should early relief in respect to the congestion at present existing in the various freezing works of the Auckland district not bo forthcoming, farmers are likely to be considerably hampered in the disposal of fat stock. The position as it stands to-day is that the works at Horotiu. which serve the Waikato and King Country, and which have been closed since April ;i7, will not reopen until some of the cheese and meat iii stove is cleared by the Corinthic, which is due in Auckland at the end of this week. The' Corinthic wall take large quantities of cheese and meat, including lambs, that have been in store for over two years. This shipment should at least alleviate the position for the remainder of the season.

A more acute position prevails in respect to the Southdown works, which serve the district immediately south of Auckland, and also North Auckland. Killings at Southdown have been restricted for some time, and the works will be fully stocked by the end of the week. It is anticipated that the Corinth ic will afford relief in this case also, ami thus permit of operations on a reduced scale, to be continued for two or three weeks. Beyond this period, howover. there is no certainty in regard to the ability to carry on, and unless further shipping space is made, available within the period mentioned the works will have t obe closed.

Mr D. .Long, secretary to the Farmers’ Freezing Companw, stated that the quantity of meat held in cold storage at Southdown and Horotiu this season w.ns equal to 178,000 (501 b carcases in excess of the amount held last season, while the excess in cheese amounted to 28.000 crates. In regard to butter, he said there was a decrease in the quantity hold this season amounting to 34,700 boxes. The total amount of butter now in store was about 80,000 boxes, and this, he thought, was not a great deal more than would be required to provide for local consumption during the winter. Had it not been for the provision by the company of space to store an additional 200,000 carcases this season, the congestion at the freezing works would have had a very serious effect on the producers, as both Southdown and Horotiu works had been operating with a very narrow margin for a considerable period.