FREEZING WORKS SALE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16497, 1 August 1924, Page 5

FREEZING WORKS SALE.

(Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The extent of the sacrifice by the forced sale of the Poverty Ray Farmers’ Freezing Works was the subject of further references in Parliament last night, when -Mr. Lysnar replied' to criticisms of his previous speech by the Minister of Lands. Mr. McLeod. He suggested! that the Minister would have taken a different attitude if farmers works in Iks own district had! been similarly threatened with absorption by a trust, though Wairarapa would be in a better position than Gisborne, because it could rail supplies to other works, while Gisborne fanners were obliged to put their stock into w'orks run by a big monopoly. Mr. McLeod l , lie added, suggested that the works on basis of output were overcapitalised. The killings for three normal t years preceding the slump were 316,981 carcases in 1919 , 322.283 in 1920, and 321.699 in 1921, which, on the basis adopted by, the Minister, would showhigh capital cost. In answer to this lie would' take the valuation of two freezing experts in Wellington, who, having formerly valued the works, were asked to re-value at the time of the forced sale. They assessed the value, including a special water supply, at £416,802, and the National Rank sold the works to Vesteys for £225,000, showing a deficiency of £236,802. What was the object- of the legislation againsf commercial trusts? he asked. A Labor member : Confiscation. Mr. Lysnar: The action under the legislation was confiscation, but the legislation w-as passed to put trusts out- of the Dominion. Instead of doing that, they had facilitated them to come into an isolated part of New Zealand. Labor members: Wlio did ? Mr. Lysnar: The authorities. Labor members: Who tire the aiUhorities?

Mr. Lysnar: The Minister of Agriculture and. the Meat Board. Labor member : But you support them. Mr. Lysnar: I do not support him in this matter. He will get all he deserves from me, and without any mealy mouth either. Ido not care about my own V works now, but I want to see that other .works do not get into the same position. We are going to protect the Dominion, and it is up to the House' to put through legislation to stop outside trusts owning meat works here. Labor member: You will require a. new set of Ministers. Mr. Lysnar: No, we will not; that is if the Premier’s and the Government’s statement is worth anything, and I believe it is. , . „ , Mr. Smith (Taranaki), who followed, said Mr. Lysnar had made out a clear case against the Minister of Agriculture and the Meat Board.