THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2044, 13 August 1885, Page 2

THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Equal and exai t justice to all men, OJ whatsoever >,utu or persuasion, religious or politir.il Here sh.ill th< 1' <-'s tli« People's ri«bt maintain, Un.iwed b> inllm nee and unbrilied bj n al "

Til 0 USD A r, AUG. 13, 1885.

Undeniably bright as are the prospects held out by the promoters of the proposed meat tinning factory, it is Ij^t natural th.it the scheme should have its detractors. It would be remarkable if such were not the case. A plan which is calculated to assure to the breeder and gni/.ier a fairer share of the profit upon meat must of necessity aim at depriving those who now absorb the greater proportion of such profits of some at least of their ill gotten gains. We hope the farmer into whose ears any talk deprecatory of the objects of the proposed industiy h*s been poured will seek for the mothe which underlies it. We venture to assert that in the vast majority of cases he will find the ruotive power to be self-interest. Let us illustrate what we mean. During the last few days it has been boldly asset ted that so great is the scarcity of store cattle that were a tinning factory started it would die of simple inanition in twelvemonths' time. It is argued that owing to the demand for milk at the cheese factories the farmers have been killing their calves, and that spaying operations have been carried on to such an extent as to reduce the number of breeding animals, outside those kept for dairying purposes, to a minimum. Under these circumstances it is claimed that there will soon cease to be an overplus of store stock in Waikato, and tinning operation*' will not, therefore, be necessary. The statement is almost too absurd for serious consideration, and under ordinary circumstances we should not turn aside to examine it. But as it has apparently been made with the object of detracting from the merits of the meat preserving scheme, it assumes an aspect of importance. Experience has made the farmer exceedingly chary about embarking in new enterprises, and the most palpable blessings are regarded with suspicion. It is not at all a difficult matter to damn .such enterprises, if only determination and tact are brought into use,

and the enemies of the tinning factory are not any less gifted in this respect than the average of their, fellows. We have therefore made it our business to institute some enquires with a view to getting as near to the truth as possible. Now, concerning the wholesale slaughter of calves: We may safely assume that the c.vse of the Waikato Cheese Factory would be that of all the others. The percentage of calves killed by the suppliers of this factory is probably not more than twenty, so th.it, assuming the number of cows utilised for the whole of the Waikato factories to bo 1000, it may be taken that at least 700 or 800 of the calves are permitted to grow up and become stores. But if all the calves were killed the number would fall far short of the aggregate demanded every year by the exigencies of settlement alone. It is quite true that just now there is an unsatisfied demand for young stock, but this is no new thing. It has been witnessed over and over again in the early spting, when the fern begins to sprout up in the Autumn sown pastures, and it will probably continue to recur with settled regularity. It happens that just now there are a few large buyers in the market, but we do not doubt that their demands will be satisfied as soon as their price reaches the vendors' high-water mark. Graziers may be long-suffer-ing, but they are not quite content to accept the rates which ha\ c been ruling for some months past, with the prospect of an early spring and an even greater demand for stores before them. Young stock do not represent much capital, but they are always growing more valuable, and so the temptation to hold on to them is greater than in the case of aged steers or of fat cattle, which ! when they have reached a certain condition can be kept on only at a loss. So far from the dairy factories having caused a diminution in the number of young stock, we believe the contrary to be the case. But for the factories a large number of settlers w ould not have kept cows at all. Concerning the speying operations, most people know that these have not lessened the number of breeding cows so much as they have improved the quality of heifer beef, because the vast majority of the animals would have been fattened for beef in any event. In conclusion we again counsel the fanners, and all those who have been solicited to support the tinning factory, not to be led away by any false issues Were such an industry established a blow would doubted ly be dealt to a number of people who now depend upon the profits arising out of whnt is called "dealing." Jt is quite possible that the factory may have to close temporarily after the lapse of a reasonable time, but this, when it happens, will be a welcome sign, because it will mean that the price of meat has exceeded that at w Inch it can be piofitably tinned. Tt is a long way below that just now r , and that is the very reason why the factory should be erected.

thoroughly invettignted, and the necessary suggestions as to ho.v theie may be dealt with, will no doubt bo furnished before long. .