P.B. FREEZING WORKS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 17 March 1925, Page 9

P.B. FREEZING WORKS.

SALE TO AMBIT BROS

COMAIISSION OF INQUIRY. '

FREE! M INARY MATTERS

(BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION. i WitiLLlN GION, Alai oh 17. Pile Royal CominiNsion appointed fo iiiiquiie unco the ad mini,sit ra.c ion of the Government in c-onneticioii with meat export vomtroi and particularly the cl largess made in' the House of Repte.senitaitiveis. by Mr. W. D. Lyisnar againisit the Minister of Agriculture and the Meat Export Control Board in conneation with the sale of certain freezing works and other property of the Poverty Bay Farmers’ Meat Co., to Vestey Bros., com me need to-day. At the outset, Sir John Findlay, for the Government, urged that Air. Lysnar be joined, as a party, a* there was a question whether he should not be ordered to pay. Mr. Lysnar opposed this. The commission was set up by the Government, he said, and he was present to assist in the inquiry and to make explanations on. behalf of the company. The commission, was not set up at his suggestion. It was mainly an inquiry by the Government into the conduct of the Minister of Agriculture. Sir John Findlay said that in a sense Mr. Lysnar came before the commission ail prosecutor, enjoying all the privileges of prosecutor, and yet ho wished to avoid costs if the ease went against him. The commissioners reserved decision on the point, intimating that they would make an, announcement as soon as) convenient. ‘ ■ Another question arose as to the admissibility of general evidence as .to the disadvantages of trusts and combines, which Mr. Lysnar proposed to call.

The chairman: questioned whether it was competent for Air, Lysnar to perambulate .all over the world in search of evidence concerning trusts. Sir John Findlay protested against tli e i rcc| ui ry be co-mi its; a. ijoviivg comm i s-ion on the evils of trusts*. Decision on this point was reserved, the chairman; pointing out that the question was whether these particular witnesses were necessary in the' determination of the questions set out in the order of reference. Mr. Lysnar contended that the country should pay and not the unfortunate farmers at Gisborne. Mr. Lysnar then opened his case “Before we finish.” he said. “I wih undertake to eav that learned counsel nm the other side won’t have a feather to fly with for their clients.”