MEAT SLUMP.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 March 1921, Page 6

MEAT SLUMP.

EFFECT ON FREEZING INDUSTRY. “PRETTY SICK JUST NOW.” “The position of the freezing industry is that it is pretty sick just now.” This is the opinion expressed to a Dominion reporter by Mr. M. J. Reardon (secretary to the Slaughtermen’s Union), who, with Mr. F. Niall (secretary of the Freezing Workers’ Federation), has just completed a tour of the freezing works in the Wellington, Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay districts. “In the North Island the month of March is usually the-busiest of the whole year,” remarked Mr. Reardon. “There is more stock killed in March than in any other month, but, almost from March 1 this year, the companies have ceased buying. The result is now, instead of looking for men in the industry, they are putting hands off. Not only is there a slump in the price of meat, but the shipping charges have increased, the American market for lamb is falling off, and the lower grades of wool are unsaleable. Tallow is almost unsaleable, and is coming down in price. As a matter of fact, the only thing that is in any way holding its own is fertiliser. Pelts that were bringing 5s last year are now only fetching 6d, and at that price it does not pay to take wool of inferior grades oft' them. The position is the same with hides. Hides that were bringing £6 or £7 previously are now only bringing 25s or £l, and the situation has now got down to this : That if the farmer is short of feed and must sell his stock, the companies are prepared to kill for him at his own risk. He has to put his stuff on the market himself, for the companies won’t buy. Most of the companies have withdrawn their buyers. During the war the companies could not get enough beef, but this year some of them have not started on beef at all.” The meat industry, Mr. Reardon added, was really the chief industry of the country. In it there were .about 8000 men employed, and, including office staffs, it probably absorbed some 1-0,000 people. “The 8000 men in the freezing works organisation are the high wages men of country,” observed Mr. Reardon, “so that any drop in their wages will reflect a very serious situation. Lip to the present there are really not many men out of work, but they are all on tenterhooks. They don’t know from one day to another what is going to happen, and £he conjyanies no£ know themselves/’

Don’t hesitate to use Nazol freely, especially by constant inhalation. It protects the mouth, nose and throat from infection. Good for Coughs, Colds, Sore JXkroati, tte.