THE STATE AND THE PRODUCER

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 43, 19 August 1902, Page 6

THE STATE AND THE PRODUCER

A FARMER'S OPINION. Speaking at the Upper Hutt Farmers' Union meeting on Saturday last, Councillor George Brown expressed his conviction that the day was not far off when the whole of the meat-freezing companies would be found to hiive combined, ari*d then woe "betide tho small butcher — ho would have to go. The fioiirrailling trust had shown settlers that not only did the price of Hour rise to benefit the trust, but at the samo time the . trust lowered the price it was willing to pay for wheat. Had it not been for the South African trade, the producer would have been at tho mercy of the combine. He urged on members the necessity for keeping an eye on these ramifications of the companies, and said that if the Farmers' Union did not proceed with it& co-operative freezing company (200,000 shares of wliich he understood were guaranteed) then it would he necessary 11 for the Slate to t>tcp in and buy up the trhole of the trading companies and put an end to tho trust. He also called attention to the necessity for a stipulation that subsidised traders should not call at Australian ports after leaving New Zealand. He stated that the freights from Australian ports by thete vessels were frequently lower than those charged in this colony, and that practically the State was subsidising steamers to carry Australian produce at lower rates than the New Zealand produce was taken for. Ho viewed subsidies for cheap freights in bhe samo light as subsidies paid for cheap and quick despatch of mails — the former would benefit the country districts, while the latter was principally in favour of the towns. He also called, attention to the matter of stock export now going' on to Australia, and said that now the 'Union Steam Ship Company found they could get full cargoes of stock they were increasing the freights instend of putting on extra vessels. The tendency all through was to bleed the producer, and he considered that the Government would be quite justified in taking action in the i matt**-