AN ALLEGED THREAT.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 14205, 2 September 1919, Page 5

AN ALLEGED THREAT.

AGAINST FREEZING WORKS MANAGER. Mr J. C. Cooper, managing director of the Wellington Fanners’ Meat Company, made a rather astonishing state-, ment when addressing a large meeting of farmers in Mastcrton on Saturday. Mr Cooper said he appreciated the manner in which Mr Poison, of Wanganui, was interesting himself in the matter of frozen meat from the farmers’ point of view, an attitude that was directing the attention of farmers to a question vitally effecting them. He (Mr Cooper) had addressed meetings of farmer’s at various times on the outlook for our primary produce. When he had asserted that things appeared satisfactory he was dubbed an “optimist.” When ho endeavoured to show that there was cause for anxiety, people called, him a “pessimist.” He had taken occasion to warn farmers at one time that the position was not what it appeared. Someone took the trouble to write the Minister of Agriculture drawing attention to his (Mr Cooper’s) remarks, and the attitude he was adopting. He received a threat from the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, who indicated that if he (Mr Cooper) persisted in going on as he was, measures would be taken to stop him. For this reason, ho felt grateful to Mi Poison for taking up the cause of the farmers.