AMERICAN MEAT TRUSTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20282, 15 December 1927, Page 12

AMERICAN MEAT TRUSTS.

MR LYSNAR’S ALLEGATIONS. WRIGHT, STEPHENSON, AND CO.’S REPLY. (Per Unite Press Association.) WELLINGTON, December 14. The following letter was sent on November 28 to the Prime Minister by Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co.: —“ Dear sir, —ln case the information may be of use to yon in replying to questions asked in the House between ourselves and the Wellington Meat Export Company, we have pleasure in enclosing a copy of this agreement. You will see it provides that we are to freeze stock that we handle in certain districts at the Ngahauranga works of the Wellington Meat Export Company, and pay the same freezing rate that the Wellington Meat Export _ Company has agreed to charge to both its own farmer shareholders and those the Wairarapa Frozen Meat Company. W r e get no advan tago in the charges over the smallest farmer shareholders using the works, and there is nothing to prevent the Wellington Meat Mxport Company making similar with any other _ exporters. Our arrangement, therefore, gives us no exclusive or preferential rights. Mr W. D. Lysnar (the member for Gisborne) further asks if wc are acting on behalf of or being financed’ by one of the American meat trust firms. We are not acting for any American meat trust firm, nor for any other meat firm. We are purely a New Zealand concern, all capita! employed in our business being New Zealand money. We trade in meat in the same way as we trade in other farm produce entirely on our own account, finding markets whercever we can. Should you wish to verify our statements, we are willing that you should have our books inspected by an accountant from the treasury of the Audit Department at any time.—Yours faithfully, Wright. Stephenson, and Co. (oer W. D. Hunt).” Tlie above letter was written to the Prime Minister within a week of the date on wliicli notice of the question was given in the House of Representatives. The letter was released to-day by Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. on Ministerial concurrence in its publication being received.