CONTROL OF MEAT WORKS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25249, 30 July 1947, Page 8

CONTROL OF MEAT WORKS

PARLIAMENT

Freezing Companies Attacked LABOUR MEMBER’S VIEWS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 29. An allegation that freezing works had flouted the stabilisation policy was made by Mr P. Kearins (Government, Waimarinoi when the House of Representatives was discussing the Meat Amendment Bill this afternoon. He said the farmers should be given 12 months to decide whether they wished to control the meat industry.

The bill was put through all stages and passed.

Mr Kearins said he was out to see the co-operative meat companies get a complete monopoly of the meat industry. The reason why the Government had taken away the Is 6d subsidy from freezing w r orks was because they had made extortionate profits out of the producers. The Government should wake up to the fact that the freezing works had pulled the wool over the Government’s eyes and flouted its stabilisation policy. This “racket” had been going on lor too long, said Mr Kearins. The House, instead of passing “a little tinpot bill like this” should pass legislation giving farmers entire control of the freezing industry. Mr W. A. Sheat (Opposition, Patea) said that if it were true that freezing companies had made extortionate profits it was the Government policy that had made that possible. He hoped individuals' rights would be adequately ; safeguarded. There might be a danger of co-operative concerns receiving • more consideration than the individual I producer who was battling on his ’ own account. Replying to the second reading debate, the Minister of Agriculture (Mr ; E. L Cullen) said the freezing works 1 and the Meat Board had been very fair to those who killed on owner’s ; account and would continue to be. Reference to Ultimatum When the House was considering the ! bill clause by clause in committee, Mr F. W. Doidge in erjectcd to ask the Minister of Finance (Mr W. Nash) .what he thought about the 12 months’ ultimatum from the member for Waimarino. Mr Nash: 1 do not think it was anything like an ultimatum. I do not be- '■ lieve in them.

Mr Nash, referring to the new member for Waimarino. said: “He will do a deuce of a lot of good in the House. Mr Kearins criticised the system which he alleged permitted representatives of stock and station firms to sit on the Meat Board as of right. He said that the freezing companies had the big stick and knew how to use it. » Mr Kearins claimed that two members of the Opposition, Messrs J. J Maher (Otaki) and E. R. Gordon (Rangitikei) had voiced approval of the principle of the farmers taking over all freezing works on a co-opera-tive basis. He said experience had proved that co-operative ownership could not work piecemeal in New Zealand. The only way to break the power of meat trusts was to take over all the works.