MEAT PRICES IN LONDON

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22507, 15 September 1938, Page 17

MEAT PRICES IN LONDON

Wholesale and Retail Rates Compared ADDRESS BY MR W. D. LYSNAR Claiming that while the New Zealand farmer received a little more than £5 for a 7001 b ox sold in the Smithfield market, the butcher who sold it a little while later in London received nearly £3O, Mr W. D. Lysnar. of Gisborne, last night told an audience at a public meeting in Tai Tapu that the root cause of farming troubles in the Dominion was the machinations of trusts and combines. Mr Lysnar said he was touring the country, as he had done twice before, to induce farmers to secure from candidates at the General Election a pledge that they would support legislative action to help the farmer. He advocated stabilisation of the marketing system, checking of trusts and combines, and better financial help for farmers through the establishment of an agricultural combine. Resolution Carried A resolution finally carried at the meeting read as follows: “That in the opinion of this meeting it is advisable that all candidates standing for the next Parliamentary Elections should be asked to pledge themselves to support legislation in the following directions: — “To curb the activities of trusts and combines of all classes. “To stabilise overseas marketing of New Zealand produce by establishing selling organisations controlled by a board appointed by the producers on the election ward system, who will cooperate where possible with other countries. “To provide some better system of finances for farmers, preferably on the agricultural banking system.” Mr Lysnar was given an attentive hearing, without interjections of any sort by an audience of about 30. Mr W. Macartney presided. The resolution finally carried was moved by Mr M. Fleming and seconded by Mr I. L. M. Coop. Pledges from Candidates Mr Lysnar said that the object of his tour was to persuade farmers to secure pledges from Parliamentary candidates at the coming Election to remedy the evils he claimed were crippling producers. After the General Election it was useless to seek such pledges; the time to get them was before the polling day, “The world was never shorter of wool than it is now. Why should the price have dropped as it did last year? Because the buyers were organised and you are not.” he said. Buyers combined to fix the limit they would pay. Mr Lysnar gave a number of quotations to support his contention that undesirable business methods adopted by trusts and combines dominated not only trade and commerce but politics as well. “You can reduce the price of meat in England by 50 per cent, on the consumer, increase it by 100 per cent, for the New Zealand producer, and still there would be too much for the English middle man,” he added. Dealing with farmers’ finance. Mr Lysnar advocated setting up an association with power to raise and lend money upon long term mortgages. There would be provision for amortisation, and each borrower should take up shares, to the extent of 5 per" cent, of his mortgage, which would be available on call to protect all mortgages. The existence of such a bank would be of great assistance to the present banks if another slump came, he claimed.