LYSNAR COMMISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 84, 9 April 1925, Page 11

LYSNAR COMMISSION.

THE ADMIRAL CODRINGTON.

FREIGHT BATES CUT. MEAT BOARD'S POSITION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday., The Meat Works Commission continued its sittings to-day. Keferring to the action of the Poverty Bay company in cutting freight rates on the Admiral Codrington, Mr. Skerrett asked Mr. Jones if that fact was considered by the board when the matter of making freight contracts -was before the board. '•I told Mr. Lysnar,' , said Mr. Jones, in reply, "that if he made application again we would have to take that fact into consideration." Mr. Skerrett: I notice that Mr. Lysnar appears to address the board as if" it were his servant? —Yes. Mr. Skerrett read extracts from a declaration by Mr. asked if, in view of those statements, it was likely the board would consider including the Admiral Codrington in the shipping contract. "It would be unthinkable," said Mr. Jones. Various cablegrams were read by the chairman, and witness stated that nothing in those messages led him to believe he was not justified in refusing to include the' Admiral Codrington in the shipping contract. ' Later, witness stated that he had copies prepared of all correspondence that had taken place in the endeavour to fill the Admiral Codrington. This correspondence indicated that producers declined to ship by the boat. The chairman: Why? Mr. Jones: The bulk of them pave no reason. Everything had been done to fill the boat. Witness detailed an interview be had had with Mr. Jolly regarding the position of the company. Mr. Jolly told him of the financial position of the company, although, he knew something of the company's position before that, as it was common pioperty. The question of the position of the guarantors and the bank's attitude toward them was considered, and witness told Mr. Jolly that the board would go into the matter of a sale to Vesteys. That was not the first time tliab a sale to Vesteys had been under consideration. -The board had previously considered the question of a sale by Mr. Lysnar, but it had not been considered advisable to permit the sale as it would not be in the interests of the producers of the Poverty Bay district. Mr. Jones said the b,oard w-as of opinion that it had every fact of value to enable it to come to a decision in regard to this sale. "When Sir. Lysnar came to discuss this matter with mc," he added, "I told him wo were not prepared to take any, steps to prevent the bank realising on their security, and Mr. Lysnar then eaid that if the board refused to consent to the Bale the bank had agreed to carry them oh. I doubted his statement, and asked him to repeat •lb, which he did." Mr. Skerrett; Did Mr. Lysnar represent this statement to have been made by the bank seriously? Mr. Jones: It was one of the reasons which Mr. Lysnar put to mc why the board should refuse their consent. There was another point about that interview. I .pointed out to Mr. Lysnar that he himself had tried to sell to Vesteys, •which he admitted. But he eaid it was with the stipulation that the shareholders in the Poverty Bay works should have certain rights. "I eaid I thought Vesteye would be delighted to give such an undertaking, and finally I pointed out to him that it was an impossible position for him to come to the board and ask it to refuse what he.had previously consented to. Mr. Jones was asked if it was important that the grading of meat.in New Zealand should be consistent with the wishes of the purchasers in England. Witness: Unquestionably. Our trade is built up on that. Mr. Lysnar suggested that the shipping arrangements made by the Meat Board, of which Mr. Jones ia chairman, caused a loss of 3d to 5d per lb on butterfat td dairy producers, a loss totalling £550,000 last February. Mr. Jones said of there had been such a loss, the fault was not his. Mr. Lysnar wanted to know whose fault it was. Mr. Jones: It is the business of the Dairy Board to arrange for ships that are coming to STew Zealand. Mr. Lysnar said Li's point was that because of the three years' eOhtraet made by the Meat Board, shipping had been so tied up as to cause a loss of 3d to 5d per lb on butterfat to the dairy farmers Of New Zealand. Mr. Jones said the shipping companies had met the board in a manner leaving little to be desired, and recently, when the board demanded another boat for this trade, they agreed to put another boat on the run. The boat was now on the way out in ballast. What Mr. Lysnar spoke of was a matter for the Dairy Board to discuss with the shipping companies. The chairman asked if there was anything in the suggestion that the regulation of shipment by the Meat Board affected the making of profitable shipping arrangements by the dairy producers. r Mr. Jones; I don't think bo. Mr. Lyenar remarked a little later that he deilied some of Mr. Jones* statements, whereupon Mr. Skerrett observed that it was important to note that Mr Lyetiar deft Jed the evidence of quite a number of people. The ' commission will resume tomorrow. ~ The chairman intimated that the commission had derided to leave for 6isbome on Monday, April 27, and Open sittings there on Wednesday, April 29! UlUflJtU.ft. The wonderful tablet that does cure Rheumatism In ail Its rorms.-—Lumbago, sciatica, neuritis, headaches. Another convincing letter: — " Enclosed please find 4/6 for another box or urlcalis. I nave recommended them to six more people here." ■ " Price 4/6, 3 boxes 13/, post free to any address. Ask your chemist or storekeeper for them, or send direct to the old address;— A. M. LOASBY, LTD.. The Only Prescribing Chemists, His Majesty's Arcade, Auckland. (Ad.)