INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16448, 29 May 1919, Page 3

INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE.

CASEIN MANUFACTURE. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 29. Before the industries Committee todays, Air. Holst, general manager of the iNew Zealand Casein Company, Ltd., outlined the policy of the company. An y agreement had been made in Melbourne in 1911 with a Hamburg firm for the use of its method of manufacturing casein, and an expert was sent out to instruct the fin., in the use of the patent rights, which, were jointly held by the INew Zealand and Hamburg companies. After the war began the New Zealand firm applied to have the rights of the Herman firm cancelled. This was done by Air. Nelson, who brought the process out. He was a Bane, but af German. by naturalisation. .Witness stated that his company offered to sell their co-operative dairy factories and assets at a valuation. The factories asked for an alternative proposal permitting them to use his company’s process on payment of a royalty and to dispose of their product through an independent agency. The appointment of Joseph Nathan and Company as selling agents was objected. The Taranaki company pointed out that’ there was only a limited number and if there was an increase in'the selling agents the price would go down. As a result a royalty was charged of £2 10s a ton. There was no need for the payment of a royalty if any company approached the New Zealand company with a reasonable proposal for ensuring the growth of the industry and the Conservation of the New Zealand company’s interests. His company was prepared to ■consider any reasonable proposal fromffho Agricultural Department and claimed that it had done valuable work in starting the industry. He .denied that the company was acting in restraint of trade. His company had contracted with Nathan and Co. to sell all its products -through Mr. Nathan.