FROZEN MEAT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18969, 6 April 1927, Page 10

FROZEN MEAT.

—■ — INDUSTRY REVIEWED FOR YEAR. DECLINE IN PRICES. [TEE PRESS Special Sflrvico.] WELLINGTON, April 5. The Dominion's meat freezing year of 1925-26 is the subject of an interesting survey by the Government Statistician (Mr Malcolm Fraser). The survey affords tangible evidence of the decline in prices on the Home market. In 1926 conditions in the meat freezing industry were generally described by the companies furnishing returns of factory production as steady. During the 1925-2' i season, remarks the Government Statistician in the monthly abstract for March, the number of works in operation during the 1925-26 season was recorded as 43, or equal to the number in operation iu 1924-25, but three below the number for 1923-24. A decline of approximately 3 per cent, was shown by the value of land, build*ngs > plant, and machinery, which fell from £4,933,907 in 1924-25 to £4,779,733 in 1925-26. It is interesting to note that the latter fig - . eis 19 per cent, below the similar figure for 1922-23 (£5,974,471), which is the highest yet recorded. , The figures for 1925-26 in respect of the average number of employees engaged show a considerable decrease in comparison with the number for the previous year. Thk decrease, however, is due principally to an alteration in the method of recording the' number of employees, rather than to substantial decreases in the number of employees engaged. The salaries and wages bill of the industry in 1925-26 (£1,466,867) decreases slightly from the figure recorded in "the previous year (£1,471,028). J A substantial drop of £1,138,321, or 8 per cent., was recorded in the cost of materials operated upon, which showed at £11,958,168 .in 1925-26, against £13,096,489 in 1924-25. The total value of products also declined from £15,812,389 in 1924-25 to £14,678,312 in 192526, but it is refreshing to note that the added value, which may reasonably be taken as representing the value created by the industry, rose slightly from £2,715,900 in 1924-25 to £2,720,144 in 1925-26. The total number of employees in the industry declined from 7316 in 1923-24, and 7567 in 1924-25, to 5798 in 1925-26. The amount of wages paid per £IOO "added value" was £49 in 1923-24, and £54 in 1924-25 and 1925-26. Perhaps the most outstanding feature disclosed is the substantial decline in the quantity of frozen beef. In 192526 the figure recorded for this produce (738,887cwt) 'shows a decline of 246j951cwt, or 25 per cent., in comparison with that for 1924-25 (985,838 cwt). The value of frozen beef declined by 22 per cent, 'over the same period. A decline was also disclosed in the output of frozen' mutton, which fell from 2,331,159 carcases, in 1924-25 to 2,111,824 carcases in .1925-26, a decrease of 219,326 carcases, or 9 per. cent. The quantity of frozen lamb recorded for 1925-26 (4, carcases), however, showed an increase of 166,998 carcases, or 4 per cent, over the output of 1924-25.. As regards value, the figures for both mutton and lamb afford tangible evidence of the decline in price for these commodities on the Home market in the earlier and middle months of 1926. The total value of the frozen mutton and lamb produced showed declines of 17 i and 2 per cent, respectively, as com- ! pared with the values of the previous season's output. ] " -