POVERTY BAY WORKS.

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15359, 6 October 1923, Page 5

POVERTY BAY WORKS.

THE PROPOSED SALE. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, Friday. Sir Francis Bell, acting Prime Minister, in the absence of the Minister of Agriculture, is disinclined to make any statement on the Poverty Bay Cooperative Freezing Works question, lie, however, indicates that the following is a correct statement of the position: In the interests of the producers the shareholders have asked that if the bank forces the sale and does not permit them an opportunity to keep the works going by taking up extra shares, 01 by a levy against stock, the Government should prevent the sale taking place by refusing a license to Vestcy’s. A matter of public policy would possibly arise for consideration by the Government if Vestcy’s were not already in full possession of meat export rights at Gisborne, but it is suggested that the Government might find it ilifllcull to raise any valid objection in the circumstances to their purchase of the Poverty Bay works; in fact, legal opinion has been obtained that it would be difllcuit to understand the Government taking up such a position, as if the sale did not actually take place Vestcy's would be entitled under the law to revert to their original intention to establish larger and more fullyequipped works at Taruhcru, in competition with other Gisborne freezing works.