THE MEAT EXPORT TRADE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10116, 25 October 1917, Page 2

THE MEAT EXPORT TRADE.

AMERICAN TRUST OPERATING. SELECT COMMITTEE’S REPORT, SOME SENSIBLE PROPOSALS. (Ptu I’riEHH ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 24. In ilii* House of Representatives this afterr.oou, Mr Loo (Oiiinnru) as. chairman, presented the report of the Select Committee set up to enquire into the operation ot the meat trust in the Dominion. 'The Commit lee made the following recommendations; —_ (1) The legislation lie at once passed giving the Government power to make illegal ihe grant of concessions in consideration ol exeln-ivo dealings, and In control or prohibit Mieelal rebates.

* (2) That the Government promote legislation generally lo control monopolies, to prevent unfair trading by freezing companies, or shipping companies, to provide for tin- issuing of licenses to freezing works and the business of meat exporter!., In di al with shipping companies as common carriers, to make the charges ol su'd) carriers just and reasonable, lo prevent common carriers giving undue preference to persons or localities, to prohibit pooling ol freights fluid earnings, and to provide that common carriers shall print and exhibit schedules of all rales and charges.

(3) Tin t the Government should forthwith consider a scheme lor controlling (lie export of frozen meat after (lie war, and in eon jinn I a n with the Imperial Government the distribution of meat in Great liitain. Note: 'this is necessary to prevent the exploitation <>l producers or consumers by meat irusts.

(4) That effective measures should, in the interests of,the British consumer, bo taken In the Imperial Government to control the price of released meal in Gnat Britain. (5) That, the Got ei nnient, either in conjunction with the Home Government, or Ihe New Zealand producer, consumer, and importer, or with all those parties, should establish a controlling interest in Ireighis and shipping between New Zealand and Great Britain.

(0) That, the Government should, in tin interests of the small producer, and in view of dm possible serious shortage ot storage space, take power to proven I large buyers monopolising lit'' space in freezing work® durimr the war.

(7) That special care bo taken to 'see that foreign firms and tlieir agents andyompan ie-. rcgiMcml in New Zealand with small capital, which carry on large businesses by means of outside support, shall imi escape luxation on the ground that small, d «tny. prulil-s are made on their trading' in the Dominion. Provision should bo made thai such (inns shall In: taxed to an amount not Je.,j Ulan paid by New Zealand linns not. so lin,'meed or controlled. Mr t’cavee (Patna) said that the committee had established one. fact : that. American capital was being used in connection with die meat, industry iu the Dominion, though there was not evidence that, the methods ot the, meat trust had boon, employed here; but since American finance was known, to 1,., X'-w Zealand, it was necessary that the Government should take such action as to prevent the trust doing as it had dentin other countries, particularly the Argen tine. He did not agree with the passage in die report which stated there was no evidence that Armour and Co had no plant in Now Zealand, a. ml tie was proceeding to show that the Ocean Beach works, managed on salary by J. G. Ward and Co., belonged to Armour'and Co., when Sir Joseph Ward said that if he (Mr Pearce) proposed to deal wit|i his private affairs, he (Sir Joseph) would retaliate and deal with Mr Pearces. Mr Pearce denied that his remarks had any personal application. He, was merely arguing on what the evidence .supported. .Sir Joseph Ward: It does not support ii, and you know it. Mr Pearce maintained that the. evidence

supported ttic view that Armour and Co. envied the Ocean Beach, works, that they could .:■* .mgc the management at any time, and that there was danger in tlieir getting a, footing at that point. Ho drew attention P, the recent increase in overseas freights, ami urged (lie Government to take action to counteract such increases in the. cost ot lit me.

Sir .100 j >ll Ward deprecated the, attempt to hitch hint to the American meat trust. He had always been op pi sed to monopolies and combines of all kinds, and ho was not eoimocted with any of them. He read from ihe evidence to show thaCJlio OcfTm Beach Freezing Works was owned by Hie Federal S'eumshiu Company, a purely British Company, winch had acquired them, not tot speculating purposes, but with the .object of maintaining their shipping connection with this country. J. Lb Ward and Co. inoroly nianagod the business, lor which ihey obouned a- salary. J. G. Ward and Co. never in meat beyond New Zi aland, and tie wished to make it plain that any rumours to the effect that, the American company were owneis. or pari owneis m the Ocean Beach freezing Works, were absolutely baseless. Mr Joseph W aru also quoted front the evidence of his manager. Mr li. A. Anderson, who said, in reply to a question, Inal J. G. Ward aim Lo. hud no proprietary interest- in the Ocean Beach Freezing Works, nor did they nun any shares. Armour and Co. did ail (heir business in Southland with rival work's, and if they owned tee Ocean Beach w\nkthev would Ireeze there. Concluding, on Joseph Ward .-aid that he never contemplated any member of the Comm it toe man mg a lisimig expedition against him, no,- did hb. ever contemplate that lie would have to enter upon the defence ol Ijifi personal connection with the large business with will'll he had been actively cunnreted for e o •ears. Personally he recognised the danger oi the -Mini,can meat, trim gelt, ie a l»oi mg in the Dominion, and In was now, as inlaid always, been, a I ree agent to lake any .sups mi ihe part ot the Slate to counteract suen ill Orts, but it was just as well tlnn v,e J-onld all recognise the iiillicullies stirroimdin b the position ’J he most effective method, in Ids opinion, was to puss ami monopoly, anti combine legislation. Also, as (,ii as he was concerned, he would be ready l , give- his assistance to bring about- ab.-.o lulei ili.nu.iilic free trade within this country. Mr Masmv said mat, the. report anil e.vi deuce justified the setting up of the Com mil ore. He dwelt upon the import-alien ol the meat trade, to New Zealand, showing (.lijj( £ 18,fi11),583 worth of meat, had been purchased lor I ho Imperial authentic* since March 3. 1015, lip to September 30,_ 1017. He drew attention to the position tn the Argentine, where the American mist ciim plet'ely controlled the market, a position which" must be avoided in New Zealand. H< pointed oui that while the Coni mental herd.- wen enormously depreciated since tiie outbreak oi the war, herds in Great- Britain had increased. As it takes; live years to restore Continental herds, that meant that great, quantities of -meat would have to be imported, and he urged New Zealand fanners to keep herds up lo the highest standard, in anticipation ol the Bade ol the 1 ut are. ■ The. d< bale was adjourned on the understanding that it would be resumed on some I'm urn day.