SALE TO VESTEY'S

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 121, 26 May 1925, Page 8

SALE TO VESTEY'S

POVERTY BAY MEAT.

WORKS

SITTING OF ROYAL COMMISSION

ME, DAVID JONES IN THE BOX.

The Royal Commission which has been set up to inquire' into the sale of the Poverty Bay Farmers' Meat Company to Vestey Bros., resumed its Wellington sitting to-day. When the Commission adjourned in Wellington about a month ago, in order to proceed to Gisborne, Mr. David Jones, chairman of the Meat Export Control Board, was still in the box, and when tho sitting was resumed to-day his cross-examina-tion by Mr. Lysnar was continued.

Tho Commissioners are Messrs. J. Alexander (chairman), G. Fitzgerald, and A. M'lntosh. Sir John Findlay, K.C., with him Mr. C. H. Taylor, appeared for the Government, Mr. C. P. Skerrett, A. C,. with him Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell appeared for the Meat Board, n. \M- Myers, K.C., with him Mr. T. U A. Hislop, for the National Bank of New Zealand, and Mr. W. D. J.ysnar, with him Mr. H. F. Johnston, for tho Trrty T ay Farmers' Meat Company. lUr. Lysnar continued his cross-ex-amination of Mr. David Jones, chairman of the Meat Export Control Board. Kefernng to Vestey's interests in New Zealand, Mr. Lysnar asked: "Has it come to your knowledge that Vestey's have acquired a site in the South Island? Mr. Jones replied: "It has been rumoured for the last fifteen years that they have acquired a site, and I don t know whether it is correct or not ijong before the war it was reported they had purchased a site." Another question was : "Why did you not, exercise your powers to stop Vesteys rebuildingl"_«i have already answered that very fully. We had no power to stop them rebuilding " m 5 T^f 1" 0." saj's that you have power? -"Not in regard to rebuild-

Are you not aware that Vestey's had acquired a site at Gisborne, and that they were going to rebuild?"—" They were entitled to do so, notwithstanding justice 8" ■ y "WCr6 entitled 4° reaiia^P 1' "*W had no right.to "CLEARING THEM OUT." Sir John Findlay: "Supposing their «ot^ d %& dOW« C'Jd^ Mr. Lysnar: "That would be a roat,S r, he board and «>e Minister. It would, bo a good opportunity to clear them out altogether!' The intention of tie legislation and the whole policy of the country is that these people should be,£ ot"d of as soon as possible." f a J°llnston: "Tbey were turned out at Aucklanr. Mr. Lysnar: "Yes, they were turned out at Auckland and 'did not rebuild. Replying to a further question, Mr Jones said that as far as the Poverty Bay district was concerned, and on the evidence m his possession, he maintained that the board had done its very best m the interests of the whole district. Mr Lysnar: "One company has been strengthened at the expense of the other? — 'The other was gone anyway." Mr. Lysnar: "That is a matter of I opinion." i M a r- J°nes = "It is for the Commission THE CONCEALED LADY AGAIN. After other questions, Mr. Lysnar returned to the problem of the shorthand writer, who was stated to have been present during a conference held between the members of the board and the directors of the company. "Regarding the concealed lady," said Mr. Lvsnar, "you have admitted that I could not see her. What I want to know is, could Mr. Wiltore see her?"—" You could have seen Her when you came into the room. You stated that you saw a lady only through a. reflection in a,glass. Let me remind you that you wrote a letter to the board stating that you saw the lady come out of the room at the conclusion of the conference. But you didn't see her by a glass, because there has never been a glass there." Mr. Lysnar: "It was not a glass, it was a picture." (Laughter). Mr. Jones: "I'm afraid your statement varies rather."

Mr. Lysnar: "Were you not hiding the lady from ub by standing in front of her? —"Absolutely no. I was in my chair.

. Sir John Imdlay: "Are. you complaining that you did not have a good view of the lady?" (Laughter). Mr. Lysnar: "I am complaining that Mr. Jones did not bring her out into the open."

TEN YEARS TOO LONG. ' When, at a-later stage, operations of Vesteys were again under review, Sir John lindlay ventured to remark: "YesX?. .came llere in 1914—ten years ago." This at once brought Mr. Lysnar into a u ,; "Yes," he said, "and they should have been put out ten years ago. it !? *$ the discredit of the Government that allowed them to hold on, and I have no hesitation in saying so." Mr. Jones: "Then it is more discreditable on the part of the men who were freezing with them." Mr. Lysnar: "How can you say that when your board authorised Vesteys to operate m New Zealand " Mr. Lysnar's cross-examination of witness concluded shortly afterwards. The Chairman asked Mr. Jones why the board had not taken advantage of the offer of the company to run a trial trip oi the Admiral Codrington. Mr. Jones: "In the first place, it is very questionable whether we could have done so under the Act. In the second place, I have in my hand a copy of the evidence supplied to me by Mr. Lysnar as to the coot of running the vessel. It was not on the pjvper of the company, and it w^s not signed by Mr. Lysnar or any otner official of the company. As soon as the latter was handed to "me, I thought there was something wrong." The Commission adjourned until 2.15 o clock this afternoon.

(Proceeding.)