The Northern Advocate Daily “NORTHLAND FIRST” TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1939. Farmers and Moerewa

Northern Advocate, 24 January 1939, Page 6

The Northern Advocate Daily “NORTHLAND FIRST”

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1939. Farmers and Moerewa

Registered for transmission through the post as a Newspaper

WHEN the “Advocate” last July appealed to Northland tanners not to waver in their loyalty to their own freezing works at Moerewa, there was an immediate and gratifying response. The figures quoted on that occasion, showing the decline in killings-of sheep, lambs, .pigs .and bobby calves, roused many farmers to a realisation of the position and resulted in an increased flow of stock to Moerewa. In spite of this,however, intensive efforts are again, being made to divert business from Moerewa. Tempting prices are being offered, but if farmers considered the possibility that these might be based Jess on the state of the market than on a desire to attack Northland’s own freezing and export industry, then they could not escape the conclusion that in the long run acceptance of such prices niight prove disastrous for; the .district. , , Even if farmers find such prices irresistible, then they can still make a stipulation that they will sell only on condition that the stock involved in such transactions is killed at Moerewa. This would ensure that the output at Moerewa is kept at a satisfactory figure, < and there would, then be no danger of the works being closed down. 1 r But if farmers take only the short-sighted view that immediate gain is all that matters, and sell their stock for the sake of a penny or two extra per head, allowing it to be killed, frozen and shipped at Auckland, then eventually the time may come when the retention of the works at Moerewa is no longer found to be justified. . ; \ People driving past the Moerewa works would then see, instead of the present flourishing community, an empty shell of masonry, rusted chimney stacks, and untenanted dwellings, such as may be seen at more than one place elsewhere in New Zealand where a freezing establishment has languished for one reason or another.

The works at Moerewa mean a great deal, not only to Northland farmers, but also to the community generally. They employ a lot of labour and they cause a large amount of money to be, circulated, both directly and indirectly, not..only in Moerewa township but in Kawakawa and places further away. For the farmer, the existence of Moerewa means elimination of wastage in transporting stock long distances. Surely it is worth a good deal to the farmer to be able to take 'his lambs to the works and have them killed the same day, without unnecessary wastage. Then, again, the progress of Northland’s flourishing pig industry depends in a large*degree on an abundant supply of concentrated pig foods, especially raeatmeal manufactured from the offal of stock killed locally. It should be remembered, too, that the erection of the Moerewa works at a cost of approximately £200,000, would not have been possible in the first place had many farmers in Northland either .directly on through their dairy companies, not subscribed liberally towards the capital required. The works do not only belong to the district in the sense that they are located in its midst, but also through the fact, that a large proportion of the capital is held locally, and this makes it doubly important to Northland’s interests; that nothing . which threatens Moerewa’s welfare should be allowed to pass unchallenged; ' vr, ■ _ .

It is not suggested for a moment, of course, that the competition against Moerewa exceeds the bounds of, commercial propriety, but a distinct impression now prevails' that a definite endeavour is being made to get business away, from Moerewa, -and while this is not necessarily being done with the specific object of eventually causing Moerewa to close, down; it would presumably cause no great regret among, rival interests if the present active competition had such a sequel. ..... - ; ' The farmers of Northland, however, should need only to be warnpd of the danger to see the importance of insisting that, no matter what exporting interests buy their stock, it should be slaughtered in their own district, thus safeguarding one of our most valuable local industries.