STOCK FOR FREEZING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144853, 3 December 1915, Page 3

STOCK FOR FREEZING.

AN UNUSUAL SHORTAGE. PKB VlU'fW ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Doc. 2. A matter of very great imxxirtanco to farmers of Now Zealand was mentioned to-night by the. Prime Minister. Recently some refrigerating steamers have left the Dominion With their insulated space only partly ' filled with frozen meat. Several factors have been inducing farmers .to hold back their stock trom the factories, but their action means that refrigerating space is wasting, and the Prime Minister fears that if meat comes forward with a rush later there may be a recurrence of last season’s troubles, when the shortage of space was reported. Mr. Massev mentioned -that the Star of Scot And would leave to-morrow 3500 carcases short of her' full consignment,, after waiting ten days in order to fill her space. The Knkaramea had left on November 23 with a shortage of 1500 carcases; the Kaikoura had sailed ten days previously with her lower insulated hold filled with general cargo; and the Orari was now loading general cargo in her insulated space. Butter was coming forward very well, but it did not occupy much space on the steamer, and the position deserved the attention'of farmers.’ The abnormal season and 'plentiful grass, with high prices for storfi stock, and the late shear, were all contributing to induce farmers'to delay sending fat stock to the freezer; but in their own interests they should do all possible to keep the freezing works going and get tho produce away as soon as possible, so as to avoid congestion later, with which neither the freezers nor tho shipping companies would bo able to cope.