FREEZING WORKS SLACK

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22921, 18 January 1940, Page 6

FREEZING WORKS SLACK

ABNORMALLY LOW SUPPLIES LAMBS HELD FOR FATTENING EXCEPTIONAL STOCK RUSH FEARED Freezing works in Canterbury have had the slackest season on record. Offerings before Christmas were very small and forvyardings of stock since the works resumed after the New Year holidays have been so reduced that work on the boards has ceased soon after 10 a.m. each day. What may be considered a flattering estimate of production is that Canterbury works have produced one-third of the quantity of lamb normally produced at this stage of the season. The position is that works are running at a loss on killings, and if farmers wait until their stock reach a weight at which they consider a profitable deal may be made, the works will be so busy that much stock will have to be rejected. The fears of freezing works executives, that at a later stage in the season the works will be unable to handle the stock offering, were expressed yesterday by an. official of one of the leading companies. The reason given for the shortage of stock supplies to the works is that farmers are holding back stock so that it will fatten. Works which have a capacity to produce more than 6000 carcases a day are not handling more than 2000. Lambs' weights were light in the first weeks that the works were, opened, those from Mid-Canterbury and South Canter-bury averaging from 271b to 301b. Conditions were then acutely dry, and," in anticipation of further stock coming forward, the works in the province opened in the week between Christmas and- New Vear. However, the exceptional rainfall on Boxing Day altered the complexion of the meat market, so far as the producers were concerned. Another contributor to the continuance of the slowness of killings was the heavy rain which was experienced over the whole province last week-end. For the farmers, the rain came at the right time. They had reached the stage when they felt that they could not risk retaining stock on their properties with the reasonable expectation of fattening them so as to obtain the premium now being paid for "over-weight" lambs. The soaking rain of the week-end gave farmers relief; for the freezing works, its significance was that fewer stock would be offering. The effects of the rain will not be shown in the condition of the stock for a week or two, and in the meantime farmers are reluctant to sell and the works are operating on reduced offerings. Weight Prices

In the years before the war, a premium was paid on light-weight iambs; but the meat situation changed when a new scale of prices was introduced for lambs of heavy weights for the English market in war time. Farmers who were fortunate enough to have ample feed available or in prospect were rewarded, and not penalised as is in the past, for holding their lambs and sending them to the works with a few more pounds of condition.

Although restricted killings have been made by the works,.the weights of the lambs already handled have not shown the expected rise. The first drafts of lambs gave disappointing weights and slight improvement has been reported since. The average for one company up till the end of the first week in January of 1930 was 321b, then the most desirable weight, but, notwithstanding the premium • for weight now in operation, carcases handled for the same period of this killing season have been only 1.121b higher. No rush of stock to the works is now expected for at least three weeks. That rush is dependent on the effects of the rain on turnip and rape crops, into the growth of which other factors enter. The indications are that stock will be coming forward until the end of July. So far, farmers who have holdings and from which good grazing may be expected, have shown a reluctance to draft their stock for the works. Third Chain Dispute An amicable settlement providing for reliefs for the two chains and the cessation of the third chain introduced in the week after Christmas has been reached by Thomas Botfthwick and Sons (Australasia), Ltd., and the Canterbury Freezing Workers' and Related Trades' Union.

Two chains are now operating at the company's Belfast works, each being manned by 38 men, The award, while providing for a maximum manning of 35, also allows for an increase conditional on both sides agreeing; and the company* and the union have met in conference and drawn up an agreement which is satisfactory to both sides.

Provision is made in the agreement for the meeting of the company's desire to handle an increased production. The third chain, the men of which did not participate in the pool of the two main chains; has been abandoned, but reliefs for the chains have been made adequately, eight men being available for transfer if required. Stipulations covering the amount of stock to be handled by the extra-manned chains have also been drawn up and approved. Work has been proceeding smoothly at all freezing works.