MEAT TRUSTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16600, 25 July 1917, Page 6

MEAT TRUSTS.

I The dangers arising from -the toleraI tion of meat trusts are effectively , put before the public in a speech delivered by Mr. V. H. Reed, M.P., I in the House of Representatives last j night and reported in the Herald ! to-day. Mr. Reed accurately de- ! scribed the methods of the trusts, ; which are the more dangerous, and , the more difficult to combat, be- ; cause for a lime they actually benefit i the class they are designed to crush. ' The growth of New Zealand's export ! trade has given the Dominion an ! important place in the world's meat | markets. Our output has become so j considerable as to attract the atten- ! tion of the meat trusts, and to ! attract their attention is to risk i their interference. Whether the J steps suggested by Mr. Reed to j destroy trust influences are likely to I be acceptable, or effective, need not i be discussed, for the subject is too I vast and complicated to be disposed ! of by a single speech. The remedies, 1 whatever they are, lie with the legislature. It is a subject which . cannot be dealt with hurriedly, but success depends, as Mr. Reed pointed out, in firm action taken before the trusts establish themselves in the Dominion in a position of strength. The Prime Minister has assured us of his interest and watchfulness in the matter ; the farmers' organisations have given the Government public encouragement to take whatever steps are considered necessary and advisable ; every I other class in the community, though their interests are less direct, would join in supporting any vigorous action taken to keep the hand of monopoly off the meat-pro-ducing industry of the Dominion. Itwill take statesmanship and courage to create legislation to meet the circumstances, but the public support of such legislation is assured j beforehand.