MEAT EXPORT CONTROL

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9851, 1 November 1924, Page 7

MEAT EXPORT CONTROL

MR, LYSNAR’S TONED-DOWN AMENDMENTS.

I-lIS COMPLAINT AGAINST THE

GOVERNMENT-

VI HAVE BEEN LET DOWN.”

WELLINGTON, Oct. 28. Speaking in the House on his amendments to the Meat Export Control Bill, Mr Lysnar said that he had made very important alterations to his proposals in order' to bring them more into line with the view of Ministers than were his previous proposals. “For instance,” he said, “1 have provided that each sheep district in the Dominion should have a separate representative, on the Board, as defir.cd by the stock returns at the present time. That will give a separate representative for Wairarapa and take that district out of the West Coast; these districts formerly were grouped. This would mean an alteration in clause 6 and increase the number on the Board from seven to eight. Clause 8 has been altered and instead of referring to any oversea company 1 have provided “On and after the passing of this Act it shall not be lawful for any company registered out of New Zealand, or without the consent of the' Governor-General in Council, for any person registered out of New Zealand to acquire any interest in any freezing works in New Zealand, or for the same to be worked on behalf of any such person.-’ That alteration is an important one. Circumstances might arise under which it would he necessary for an outside individual to obtain an interest in these works and by Order-in-Council that may be allowed .

“In clause 9 I have made very substantial alterations. To meet the intimation of Ministers that they uul not wish to interfere with works that had been established twenty years or over, I have added this proviso:— “Provided that tiio provisions or

this section shall not apply to any such company or person that had acquired or established any freezing works in New Zealand prior to the thirty first day of December one thousand nine hundred and ten. “That practically goes hack fourteen years. The only firm that can possibly bo affected is the last firm to come into this Dominion, Vestey Bros:, who came in some four -years later. All the other firms that are affected by oversea interests in New Zealand are exempt, . particularly Borthwick’s, v.ho have been .here some twenty or thirty years. So that Ministers c-nnnot now have any misgivings in regard to some of these old-established firms who are here. Vestey is hero —I say frankly to the House—without any consent from any of the authorities or anything of that sort, except as legnrds the recent purchase at Gisborne. When he took over Nelson Bros., they merely carried on in Nelson Bros.’ name. Vestey first of all had the Auckland works, which he established by a company that was registered in the name oi two persons. The West-field Freezing Company is held by L. G. James, engineer and architect, five hundred shares; and oy A. G. Duncan, draftsman, also five hundred shares; or a total of one thousand shares. That was registered as a private company on the 2nd March, 1913. W. R. Fletcher is another company owned by Vestey, registered in December, 1815. Clearly this Act would apply to works held by them. The amendment lias gone about five years past their time, but it will not include any of the other works established in New Zealand. I informed the committct. that the question of these trusts had been- investigated to a very considerable extent for many years past, s-nd in 1917 a committee was set up by this House and a copy of their report I have here. This committee investigated this ‘Trusts’ question very thoroughly and the report I have here contains between two and three hundred pages, ar.d it is to be found in the journals of this House recorded in volume 2 of E-21, 1917. That committee intimated the necessity of dealing, by legislation or otherwise, with trusts or combines, and they said the question should he grappled with and dealt with. Tt is true, of course, that important developments have resulteu since then, but the matter has been before various committees since. It has also been before the conferences of the Farmers’ Unions every year for the past ten years, and very strong resolutions have been passed by that organisation in that respect. The last resolution they passed I propose to read. I might say, first of ail, that through the extension of tho 'operation of these trusts affecting farmers' freezing works, the farmers became very much concerned and alarmed and at tho last conference they discussed the question of forming a combhm tion of the freezing works in New Zealand—the. co-operative concerns. This resolution dealt with that matter as well as witli tho oversea trusts. Tills was the resolution passed at the conference in July of the present year:—Conference 9/8/24 — ‘That this conference, while considering that some freezing consolidation is necessary, suspends judgment on the question of the present merger until it has heard further details; further, that if some form of combine is nc-ccs-sav, it prefers a combine of New Zealand farmers to an outside combine. It also again places on record its opposition to any oversea interests owning or operating freezing works in New Zealand.’ Carried without dissent.

“That resolution was carried without any dissent at the last conference. It is much milder in form than other resolutions which wore passed previously; but one has been passed every year. I want the House to appreciate that the matter is not new, that it has been under Consideration for some time, and the Government have been asked to act again and again. So far as I am aware, the Government were prepared to do it. They had promised to do so. They had made statements publicly that they would. But when the matter came 'before this House the other evening I found that I had been misled as to tho Government’s attitude. .! do not wish to carry the matter any further at this 'juncture; but I desire to express my dissatisfaction with the Government’s attitude on the amendments that I brought forward, and their inaction in not bringing other essential legislation forward, to meet tlie requirements of the Dominion Generally, I think that the time lias arrved for a change of administration and for a new party to he formed, representing the progressive elements of the Reform Party and the Liberals, tho leaders of both parties to stand aside to enah’e that to he done. .1 would cheerfully assist in that direction. In my judgment, it is not advisable or necessary to go to the country, for tiio reason that I believe there are sufficient progressive members in the two parties to enable a new party to be formed, to put before the country progressive legislation, such ns is being demanded by the people of the Dominion at the present time. Mr. Speaker: Ts tho Jion. member discussing the Bill? Mr. Lysnar: I am discussing the results of this matter and what I suggest should follow. I do not propose to carry the matter any further than I have gone. I have perhaps trespassed somewhat. But I should like, Mi- Speaker, with your permission, to add this to what I have a 1 ready stated, that I should like to ask the leaders of the two parties Mr Speaker Order. J am afraid I cannot .allow the honorable, member to discuss that matter on the third reading of this Bilk An Hon. Member: You would commit suicide. ' . •/ Mr. Lysnar: I would commit suic:de in the interests of the Dominion. I think it is necessary for some-

tmng to happen. It is impossible for matters to go on-in tu;s way.

jir. Speaker: Ureter. The hon. member is not uiseussmg the Bill. Mr Ljsnar : ,u tin, lot me put it in tins way, ir .1 may: i disregard tne personal amuck made on rnysc.f in tms matter, but urge that something Simula os done to protect the Dominion as a whole. 1 tiunk that is necesr sary. it is a question whether the country is to jia.ve progressive and proper legislation upon tins and other matters, or whether that is to be subservient to party. l maintain that the position as disclosed now indicates that party is coming first. Instead of legislating for tliese Trusts to be eliminated, and other matters 'dealt with, party inlluenco comes forward, a'nd legislation is stopped. The''Prime Minister knows full well that there is a majority in this House for this .egislation, if he would only give tlie House an opportunity of dealing with it on its -merits, and would say that lie does not wish it to be a party matter. That is all lie has got to say. He is straining, I regret, to realise tlie position of many of his supporters m this House. AVc have got to take up a proper stand and fulfil our duty to our electorates and to the Dominion in matters of this kind. Fortunately, I. am in an independent position. 1 quite sympathise with some honorable members of this House who are not a.s independent as I aril. I am satisfied that the Prime Minister would be acting in the interests of tho Dominion and doing the right and proper thing to its supporters if he allowed them a free hand to pass the legislation necessary m connection with this subject. 1 am quite satisfied that so long as we allow party interests to prevail wo cannot expect to get matters such as these adjusted. It is quite out of the. question. I have lived in hope, and believed and trusted in the promises and words of the Prime Minister and his Government.

An Hon. Member: They have let you down. Mr Lysnar: Yes, Mr Speaker, they have let mo down, and they have let the country down. Ido not mind myself—not a straw—fmt I uo object in the interests of the country. I. say the time lias arrived for tiio Prime Minister to make a specific statement to this House—a statement that lie has made before—that he was prepared to stand aside with the object of allowing the two parties to come together and consider tlie whole subject of a new party.

Air. Speaker: 1 am afraid the honorable member is going outside of the question.

Mr. Lysnar: ft is very difficult. Sir, without some latitude, to keep within the question—l recognise that. However, I have said quite enough to indicate where I am prepared to assist in connection with this great issue. I had thought that something should he clone so that we could get to practical results before the present Parliament dissolves. There is important legislation that should be on the floor of the House.

Mr. Speaker: The hon. member is agn in transgressing. Air. Lysnar: I am afraid I shall have to leave it at that.