THE BACON INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1922, Page 5

THE BACON INDUSTRY.

PROPOSALS FOR EXPORT. GOOD MARKET IN BRITAIN. (By Wire—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerston North) informed the Prime Minister in the House to-day that dairy farmers rearing pigs for bacon wished the Government to guarantee advances to them so that they might be able to export their produce to the Home market. The amount required would be about £75,000. The farmers could guarantee about £40,000. He said bacon growers were at present in an awkward position owing to the temporary stoppage of operations of the packing company, on which they had been depending. They had a large number of pigs ready for bacon, and weigths were increasing from day to day. There was a good market tor bacon in Britain. Denmark had exported some £16,000,000 worth of bacon to England during the past year. The farmers were not requesting that the Government should take over the packing company's business, or interfere with it in any way. The directors of the packing company had guaranteed some £60,000 last year to enable the producers to carry on their business. Mr. Nash wished to know whether the Prime Min-' ister would receive a deputation in order that the details of the proposal might be submitted to him.. The Prime Minister replied that ne was quite willing to receive a deputation. His duty was to preserve the bacon industry if possible. He knew how serious the consequences of its cessation would be. There was no Time now to organise anything that was likely to prove satisfactory for the coming season. He was aware that there was a good market in England for bacon. The Meat Export Board was certain that it could dispose of pork of good quality for a satisfactory price. The proposal that a guarantee should be given for 000 was a very serious one. It should have to come to him in the first place, and the Government should have had an opportunity of considering it. He had not heard' of it previously. Hia first duty was to protect the interests of the State, and he would fulfil that duty to the best of his ability.