THE FREEZING INDUSTRY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10881, 22 April 1921, Page 5

THE FREEZING INDUSTRY

THE SLUMP workers/ LEAVING DOMINION FOR OTHER COUNTRIEIS. SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTIONS. I An indication as to liovv the various freezing and slaughtering works aro affected by the collapso of tho meat market was givon to tv “Times” representative yesterday by Mr F. J. Nmll, general secretary of tho New Zealand 'feezing Workers’ Federation. Four of tho works, he said, w r ere at present closed down on account of the general slackness in-the industry—- ; Paten, Kakarilci, Horotiu, and Westfield—and others, while they had not been obliged to cease operations altogether, had found it necessary to discharge many of their hands. The services of a number of pien at tho Waingawa works had been dispensed with during the past few days, and others had been discharged from the Wellington Meat Export Company’s works at Ngahnuranga. Ho estimated that only 50 per cent, of the number of men usually engaged in the industry in the North Island at this time of the year were at present engaged. Although there we/o some weeks to run befopo the slaughtering season expired, there was a noticeable exodtis to .Australia aai other countries already. REPORTS FROM DISTRICTS. Reports he had received from several •centres showed that at Masterton the season’s operations were going on satisfactorily. A mild rush of stock was coming to hand, due, no doubt, to the | prolonged spell of dry weather that | had been experienced in the district. About 50 slaughtermen were employed, I and they were dealing with approxiI matelv _4OOO sheep peT day, besides catj tie. Work at Imlay had quietened | down a lot during the past month, and a large number of hands had been put off. A little retrenching had also been done at Whakatu, hut full time was still being worked. At Islington 70 slaughtermen, and 14 learners were operating, but their time per week did not average more than 30 hours. The preserving department had been seriously affected by the slump, and 20 hands had been paid off at Easter. The pelt department was working at full pressure owing to the arrival of Pelts from other works. At Belfast full time was being worked. At Pukeuri, near Otuna.ru, the first had season was being experienced since the works opened. At Balolutha, Makarewa, and Mataura, in other parts of the OtagoSouthland area, prospects „ were refarded as bright, and work Wae fairly risk.