45

1.—7.

1). O. SINCLAIR.]

22. And with American capital?— Yes, as far as I know. 23. Do you know of the amount of American money in the company?—No, I do not. 24. There is supposed to be another American company —namely, Sims, Cooper, and Co. : are you aware whether they are an American company?—T could not say. It is rumoured so. 25. Are they making much headway?—Oh, yes. 26. Have they been buying stock at higher prices?— They have not this season in Canterbury. 27. Do you think there is any danger of our New Zealand companies being controlled by American companies?—l do not think so. 28. Your people are not losing ground, and Sims, Cooper, and Co. are making headway?— Yes. Of course, our firm has only started here. 29. You expect to do better? —Yes. 30. What company do you think has the biggest controlling influence of stock at this end —■ the largest buyers?—Borthwick and Co. and the New Zealand Refrigerating Company. 31. Do you think there is any likelihood of there being a shortage of stock in New Zealand if you go on slaughtering as you are doing at the present time?— Yes, I do. 32. What becomes of your company's offal? —The different companies take the offal. 33. Could you tell me of any men who could give the Committee any information with regard to the working of the trusts in New Zealand? —No, J could not. •"> I. You are pretty certain about your stuff going direct. Homo to your own shops?— Well, I do not know that they have shops. 35. Well, to your own agents?,—Yes, I am pretty certain of that, 36. Is your company a very big one here? —Not so far. 37. Can you give us any idea of what they paid when they bought out Joseph and Co.? - No, I could not. 38. Mr. Joseph, jun., is working for your company, is he not? —Yes; but I know nothing at all about the inside working of my company. 39. You are simply buying the stock? —Yes, in the country. 40. And your company is buying all over New Zealand? —Yes, pretty well. 41. Mr. Scott.] It is rumoured that your company is picking up all the smartest buyers: is that so?- Ido not know. Buyers are very hard to get —I know that. 42. How are you paid, by a straight-out salary or on salary and commission? —A straight-out salary. 43. Have you an appointment by the week or month, or for a term? —I get paid monthly, but I am engaged for a term of two years. 44. Mr. Pearce.] Have you any actual knowledge at all as regards the business workings of your company?—No, I have not, 45. Can you tell us what your instructions were as regards buying stock in competition with other companies? —We have a limit per pound, and we get the limits once a week, which are varied. We have to buy at that limit, or as near as possible to it, or under it if we can get it. 4.6. Can you tell us the variation in those limits during the last season : take beef, for instance —what has it varied from? —455. to 475. 6d. It has not varied more than that. 47. While the Government price has been the same all the time: why this variation? —The difference in the price of hides. 48. Could you tell us why you left Borthwick and Co.'s and joined Armour and Co.? —I got a better salary. 49. You say your company has not made any headway : did not your company last year buyout Joseph and Co. ?—Yes. 50. Is not that making headway —you must be doing much more business than previously? — 1 have not bought one-third of the stuff 1 used to buy for Borthwick and Co. 51. You mean you as an individual buyer; but that does not refer to your company?— That refers to the last season, which is the first season they have bought here. 52. Then your statement is not correct that they have not made any headway. If this is the first season they have operated, then they must have made headway? —They bought Joseph and Co. out at the start of the season, but they have made no headway since. 53- 1 should say your purchases this year would be much larger than ever before, seeing Your company had bought that firm out?—-1 would not say that. 54. Mr. Reed.] What district, do you operate in? —North Canterbury. 55. Have you a certain area in which you buy, yourself, or are you the head buyer for the whole of the South Island? —I can go all over Canterbury if I wish to, but I stick mostly to North Canterbury. 56. And have you bought all over Canterbury? —Down as far as Ashburton. 57. When you buy do you leave instructions with the drovers as to where they should deliver the stock? —Yes. 58. Where -did you deliver during this year?—To the nearest freezing-works to where we buy. 59. What freezing-works do you refer to?— The New Zealand Refrigerating Company, the Canterbury F rozen Meat Company at Fairfield, Belfast, and Kaiapoi. 60. Have you had any refusals from any companies to freeze for you?— Yes. 61. Mr. Forbes.] You know why this Committee is sitting? —Yes. 62. It is to inquire into the operations of the Meat Trust? —Yes. 63. In your experience in connection with the methods of buying sheep and fat stock is there any difference between Armour and Co. and Borthwick and Co. ?—Not a bit. 64. Are your limits higher than Borthwick. and Co.'s?—No, not so high this season, 65. In your opinion there is no difference between Armour and Co. and other buyers in the methods of meat-buying ?—No. 66. Can you tell us what your company put through in the way of stock all over New Zealand? —I could not give the figures.