FARMERS PROTEST

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 17, 15 October 1942, Page 8

FARMERS PROTEST

Proposed Sale Of Freezing

Works

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, October 14.

A strong protest, to the Government and the Meat Producers’ Board agaim-t the proposed transfer of Ocean Beach and Kaiapoi freezing works or a. part interest in them to ariy overseas company, was made at a representative meeting of Southland farmers today. A complaint ■was made that farmers had not. been kept informed of the negotiations, and that Southland.or Dominion interests had not had the opportunity of negotiating, as prospective purchasers. The meeting deputed a committee-of four to frame a resolution embodying the sentiments expressed at. the meeting, and also authorized it to contact the Dominion executive of the Farmers’ Union and the North Canterbury executive with a view- to, a united protest for presentation at,. the meeting of tho meat -board in Wellington tomorrow. The Ocean Beach works is owned by the Ocean Beach Freezing Company, of which Mr. Arthur Sims, of London, formerly of the partnership of Sims, Cooper, Ltd., is the principal shareholder. The prospective purchaser is the Co-operative Wholesale Society of Great Britain, which supplies an extensive chain of retail stores in the British Isles. It has been known for some time that the sale of the Ocean Beach and Kaiapoi works was likely, ’and a suggestion was placed before the annual meeting of the electoral committee of the meat' board that a syndicate of four South Island freezing companies should acquire the two works and operate them, thereby retaining the ownership in the Dominion. It is understood, however,- that the works have not been placed on the market for sale, but have merely been the subject of negotiations between the two parties concerned in the present deal.