THE MEAT TRUST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 49, 26 February 1918, Page 6

THE MEAT TRUST.

- '. ■ ... . (To the Editor.) . Sir,—As lam passing through Nelson to .Collingwood I notice a letter in your paper re the Meat- Trust, which we are taking, a deep interest in in Gisborne, and.using every means in our power to preyent it*; operation in New Zealand, lt.-is clear that their methods of buying "will be detrimental to the -whole of the producers and other industries of the Dominion. "We urge that the Imperial authorities should pay for the meat' on the hooks, and thereby remove the temptation by the meat speculators to pay cash and nominate their salesmen at "the other end. It is surely, right that the" civilian population of England should get the full benefit of our low priced meat, but if that is to be done it must -be kept out of the hands of speculators. I am enclosing a copy of resolutions passed at our meeting in Gisborne, and trust you will publish same, and that the farmers may wake up from one end of New Zealand to the other, and protect their children's birth-right. . I am, etc., ; J. C. Field. The resolutions are:— (a) To record its appreciation and approval - of. Lord Rhondda's decision to discontinue the system of nomination for the • surplus New Zealand meat, as this' system unquestionaly creates. a monopoly and mainly benefits such firms as'-work-in conjunction with the meat trusts. ..... (b)' This meeting also desires to record its strong disapproval of the meat ageiits' action in inducing the authorities to continue the nomination system,' and would respectfully request that the Government of New Zealand should-take such action as is necessary to represent the views of the New Zea_1 and farmers in this respect to the Home' .authorities, aa -a Dominion Conference of' the New Zealand Farmers "Union, as well, as public meetings of farmers -in" various parts of the Dominion have expreseed disapproval of the nomination' system, recommending that a' Committee or individual answerable only to the Imperial Government, and in'no -way associated with any firm or Company engaged in the buying and selling of .meat, should be appointed to control the handling of the surplus meat 5n England. The New Zealand Parliamentary Committee's report al<*6 disapproves of the past system of distributing meat in England, and recommends that the Government, in- conjunction with the Imperial Government, should forthwith consider a better scheme for the distributioin in Britain. "(c) This meeting also desires to emphatically protest against Mr Boys, of Xidndon, representing the New Zealand Refrigerating Company, which. owns some six freezing works in this Dominion; Mr Cooper, of -Sims, Cooper and Co.; 1 one of the largest -individual meat buying'firms in New Zealand, together the Advisory Committee compris-ing-Messrs Cohn" (Morris Beef Co.); Archer, (representing late Sulzburger and : Co., now Wilson and Co., meat operators in"-. Argentine and America); <3oodsir; (representing Weddel and Co.). Twigg. Rbnser and Leuw, upon the ground that all these parties are representatives of firms who are large operators, 'inthe buying and selling of meat, and -therefore it is inadvisable and unfair to allow them to control the marketing of any surplus meat. This meeting would respectfully suggest that an individual or committee who is in no way associated with the buying and. -selling of meat should be immediately appointed to control the disposal of" any surplus meat in England. ■ (d) This meeting also desires to specially request the -New Zealand Government'to expedite the issuing of the necessary Gazette regulations making provision to safeguard all the recommendations made by the New Zealand Parliamentary Committee's report on the dangers of the meat and shipping Parliamentary Committee's report on the danger of the meat and shipping questions. approved of by Parliament. This is essential in the interest? of the producers of New Zealand, the consumers 5n England and the prosperity of this Dominion as a whole.