MEAT INDUSTRY

Hawera Star, Volume L, 26 July 1930, Page 5

MEAT INDUSTRY

CONTROL OF EXPORT TRADE ANTI-TRUST LEGISLATION AMENDING BILL IN HOUSE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, July 20. Mr \V. D. Jjysnar, moving the second reading of the Aleat Export Control Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives to-day, said it was- designed to relax the control that trusts held over tne produce of the Dominion. The lact that m 1928 £59,000,000 had been lost ou New Zealand meat pointed to a very serious position. The object of tiie Bill, in the first place, was to make tiie board representative ’of the farmers. Secondly, it sought to eliminate tiie commercial representative on the board and to eliminate the Government representative until the Government became financially involved in the operations. of the board. It was further intended to remove the present representatives on the board and provide for a fresh election on the basis of the districts and the number of producers. There was nothing to prevent present members standing for re-election. Other clauses in the Bill provided tliat overseas companies should not acquire further interest in freezing works in the Dominion and should sell the existing works to local companies, failing wJncii they should be carried on oil a joint basis.

Air; D. Jones said in estimating that £9,000,000 had been lost on New Zealand meat on 1928, Air Lysnar had not made any allowance for freight and handling of produce. Mr Jones declared New Zealand farmers had been getting more out of meat than anyone else. Tiie freezing companies had had to carry the loss because they had bought the meat at a higher price than was justified by the time it had been marketed. He further contended view of the quantities of lamb tka£ had been marketed this year the prices obtained by the farmer had been satisfactory. It was only the advertising and organisation of the Aleat Board that had resulted in the position being as satisfactory as it was. If it had not been for the exceedingly careful manner in which the arrivals on the market had been regulated and the cautious; control of the people who had! purchased the meat the New Zealand producers would have been in a worse p.osition to-day. Air Jones insisted it was not true that trusts were operating against the producers, who could always get an open market at Home.

All* Forbes suggested the matter was one that could be investigated by the agricultural and stock committee. It would be preferable that the matter should be threshed out there than on the floor of the House. Evidence could be carefully investigated and the finding of the committee would go a long way towards giving the House an indication of the merits of the Bill. Air Lysnar: That’s quite satisfactory to me. AH* H. G. Dtickie said the big freezing companies were a menace to the industry in New Zealand. He expressed approval of most of the principles in the Air A. Hamilton was proceeding to defend the constitution of the Aleat Board when Air AY. J. Poison appealed to him not to “talk the Bill out.” Air Hamilton, continuing, said he believed Air Lysnar was injuring the interests of the producers by bringing the subject into politics. He was not expressing the opinion of a body of sensible farmers. Air Lysnar, in reply, said it was not correct that he had not allowed for freight and the handling of meat in computing the loss of £9,000,000. The Bill was read a second time and referred to the Agricultural and Pastoral Industries and Stock Committee.