FOOD COMMISSION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 23 January 1925, Page 5

FOOD COMMISSION.

MEAT TRADE

VESTY BROS.’ BUSINESS

8Y CABLE—PRESS ASSOOI ATION-COPY RIGH'I

LONDON, Jan. 21. Before the Food Commission, Sir Edmund Vestey said that in view of the continuous attacks upon those in the meat trade by the British and Dominions Press, he welcomed the opportunity of pointing out the small margin on which their business was conducted. Sir Edmund Vestey quoted Mr H. Williams’ report for private circulation in Australia dealing with the conditions in Argentina. He pointed out that Mr Williams did not seek information from a single British firm in Argentina. The whole of his informant’s were connected with the American Meat- Trust. He added that the Yesty concerns had not replied to attacks in the Press, of which hundreds had appeared in New Zealand, in view of the evidence now offered to the commission. < “Jt would he a nice thing,” the witness added, !! if the commission were to "ive us a clean character.” Sir Auckland Geddes said: ‘‘We will see what we can do.” Replying to the commissioners, Vestey Brothers admitted that the high labour costs at Darwin related exclusively to the war years, and admitted that they were partly due to the fact that operations were necessarily seasonal. Workers had to he taken to and from Darwin, and from and to the south. They only handled 20 per cent, of the Argentine meat exports. Mr F. H. Coder (one of the commissioners) pointed out that there was little cause for complaint about the advance of South American beef above the pre-war prices. Complaints centred around the prices of Australian and New Zealand mutton and lamb, which were now double the pre-war levels. Sir Gordon Campbell attended again, and said that after a careful perusal of the report .cl' his previous -evidence, he was not satisfied with his own replies. though these were accurate so far as thev went. He was, however, afraid that he had not fully understood all the questions. He now realised that he should have requested a private session of the commission and been privately examined. Mr D. J. Owen (general manager of the Port of London Authority) said the Authority was now bousidering the advisableness of reducing storage charges. He added that there was no monopoly of cold storage in London. The PortAuthoritv owned about 50 per cent-, of the storage space.