FREEZINC INDUSTRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16434, 24 May 1921, Page 5

FREEZINC INDUSTRY.

BAD SEASON FOR WORKERS. fPsa Prkß9 Association ."j WELLINGTON. May 23. Doleful reports are coming to hand regarding the state of the freezing industry. Operations how are slackening off considerably, and several works already have closed down. The season is said to be one of the worst experienced in the matter of small earnings. Slaughtermen are leaving the Dominion for Australia in large numbers every week. Within four weeks the industry will be at a standstill. It ts. stated that .girnong the works recently closed in the Dominion as far as slaughtering is concerned are :—Onslow, Feilding, Pa tea, Retone. Kakariki, Lon gb urn, and Imlay. At Whakatu there have been only five days’ killings in a fortnight. The Castled iff workers have been reduced from 200 to sixty. At Waitara work is irregular. At New Plymouth conditions are reported to be much the same as at Waitara. At Masicrton the staff lias been reduced from ?B1 in April to 191 a week ago. Short lays are being worked in some instances. In Canterbury there is a slackening off, but conditions in the south are better than in the north. h ro-n Auckland the position is reported to be anything but good. The WestfieJd works are far from normal. At Southdown, Horofcm and Whakatane hands are being reduced. It is expected that all the northern work* wiH bo dosed down by the end of the month.