THE BACON INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18677, 5 October 1922, Page 10

THE BACON INDUSTRY

GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE DESIRED. SUGGESTED DEPUTATION. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, October 4. Mr J. A. Nash .(Palmerston) to-day informed the Prime Minister in the House that dairy farmers rearing pigs for bacon wished the Government to guarantee advances to them so that they might he able to export their ’ produce to the Home market. The amount required would be about £75.000. The farmers could guarantee about £40,000. The bacon growers were at present in an awkward position otying to a temporary stoppage of the onerations of the packing company on which they had boon depending. They had larre numbers of pigs ready for bacon, and the weights were increasing from day to day. There was a good market for bacon in Britain. Denmark had exported some £16.000,000 worth of bacon to England during tho past vear. The farmers were not requesting that the Government should take over the Packing Company’s business, or interfere with it- in any way. The directors of the Packing Company had guaranteed some £60,000 last year fo enable the nrodneers to carry on their business. Air Nash wished to knotv whether (he Prime AHnister would receive a deputation in order that the details of tho proposal might bo submitted to him to-morrow. To-day tho Prime Minister renlied that, he was unite willing to receive a denotation, even while the House was sitting. HR duty wn4 to preserve the bacon industry if possible? ,He knew bow serious the consequences of its cessation would be There rtvas no time now to organise anything that was likelv to prove satisfactory for the coming season. He was aware that there was a good market in England for bacon. 'Hie Aleat Export Board was certain f)a( ’t could dispose of pork of good oualitv ■for a satisfactory nrioe. The prooosal tbr* a guarantee should be giv"n for -976.000 was a verv serious on<\ H should luo-p <-omo to him in tlm first place, and the Government should have had an opportunity of-considering it. He had art beard of it previously. H>s first- duly was to proto'- 1 tho interests of the Plate, and he would fulfil that duty to the best of his ability.