THE MEAT TRUST.

Timaru Herald, Issue 170301, 21 August 1920, Page 11

THE MEAT TRUST.

To the Editor of the "Timaru Herald." fciir, I was very sorry indeed to see in your Saturday's paper—August 14th —-that rinder the lieading of "Farm j i ° ifr "k-oradi". advocates allowing the Meat Trust to operate in New Zea- • Now in my humble opinion I am quite convinced if this trust once gets established in this country it will 00 the greatest debacle that has ever happened to the dominion for many a long day. It is simply a mighty combine to control the food supplies of the wOl Id, and the results may be so farreaching as to be absolutely disastrous to the future welfare of this country, n e are simply a food producing coun,f y ' a , ncl ' ollr position on the face of the globe . prevents our becoming a manufacturing country. All our future happiness aiid prosperity depend on what we can produce and grow jrom the soil. If it is true that the Meat Trust made a profit of between twenty and thirty millions during the va L r , it simply means that if they got established in New Zealand in a lew years they will absolutely get control of all our meat, butter and farm protruce. To start with they will simply give sucli prices to the farmer that no private firm or individual will be able to compete with tlieni, and when they have got absolute control of the shipping and probably the meat and butter factories too, they will then turn round and dictate such terms to tlie farmer and land owner as will leave j™ Trust) with colossal profits and the people of the dominion will be absolute bond slaves. It is not only the farmers and commercial community who will suffer, but it is also the working people who will feel the shoe pinching. I hope every man and woman who has a vote and thinks of the future welfare of this fair and happy country will do their very best to strangle this terrible commercial octopus before it is too late, as the danger is real and the danger is terrible. The Unitod States Government some time ago published a paper on the ramifications of the Meat Trust, showing what a dangerous commercial concern it was. I think the Government of the dominion ought to get a copy ': l' this pamphlet snd send a copy to every farmer in the land, and point out to tlieni what a very serious matter it will be for the whole community if the Trust once gets control of our farm products. Some people are willing to let them in and give the material, but it is one matter letting them in aid quito another matter kicking them out when they are once established, as there would be so many conflicting interests and influences. One writer in the" Weekly Press" says we want competition, as the companies in the conn- ] try are making too much mimn.v and bleeding the farmer of his just profits. This is absolute nonsense, as a great many farmers have shares in these companies and there is nothing to prevent farmers having their own freezing works and tais:'sit the pro >t> i themselves. And it must not be for- | gotten that if the local companies ma':e n. crey all this mon sy is rata ned in th< el- 1 ; ?ition and adds to t : 'e power of the people, but with the Amp.- ] rican Trust the money will go to America to the detriment of New Zealand. If we want to send our meat, butter and cheese to America there is nothing in the world to prevent us doing so. We have not to ask the Trust to allow us to do it, and if there is any profit it will all come back to this country. An enterprising paper has introduced New Zealand lamb into America, but this was done for the sole purpose of fighting the Meat Trust and with the object of supplying the American people with cheap meat. It i s onlv j natural the Meat Trust should try to ' get into this country, which is practically the only meat exporting country which is free from their ramifications. We have a colossal debt since the war hanging over our heads, over two liun- , dred millions, and we can" only pay the interest on this debt by keeping ail our money in the country and by producing twice as much as we have ever done before and by developing our hydroelectric power, which will enable us io produce at a cheaper rate and compete with other countries. There is a great deal of camouflage written about England not being able to take our mutton, but in spite of this mutton and beef are going higher every day, and I believe thousands of store lambs have been sold for forward delivery at 255, and 2000 fat sheep have been oifered at from 50a to 60s a head, the majority at the latter price, so under the circumstances there does not appear to be much danger of a glut. As I pointed j out before we can send our mutton and lamb to America just as easily as the I Meat Trust can. Several smps have j gone away lately full of our produce to America. This proves conclusively that I we can do without the kindly help of ! any Meat Trust. We have had a warning, so let lis move before it is too late and keep the Meat Trusts out at any cost.—-I am, etc., A STITCH IN TIME.