ARMOUR’S LICENSE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 June 1921, Page 1

ARMOUR’S LICENSE

AMERICA INQUIRES REASON

FOB REFUSAL.

i ACTING-PIlEi IJEII’ S REPLY

, WELLINGTON, May 28. The following telegram has been received from the American Consul-Gen-eral by gir Francis Bell: —■ The Department of State at Washington, cables instructing me to ascertain the reason for the refusal of a license to Armour and Company of Australasia, at Christchurch to export meats, and to point out that American capital established the Business in accordance with New Zealand laws, and that the present -action appears to he arbitrary and discriminatory. Sir Francis Bell has telegraphed the following reply: I shall be obliged if yon will inform the American Department of State—(l) That New Zealand’s action in regard to Armour and Company had been largely influenced by the result of the American inquiry int-o, and report upon the dealing of that company in relation to the American Meat Trust. (2) That no difficulty is placed in the way of Armour and Company exporting to America for American use the meat now in the freezing store. (3) That the license to export such meat to London markets is refused. (•!) That full warning was given Armour and Company and the Meat Trust by the New Zealand Parliament in 11)18, when it was enacted that every meat exjjorter must have a license to export. It was then made clear that the Act was intended to prevent operations by the Meat- Trust. (A) Armour and Company could hot obtain a license to export, and devised a method of purchasing sheep, and freezing them in the works of companies licensed to export. (tj) This Government will not allow the evasion of New Zealand laws. (7) Armour and Company now ask for a license to export this meat because it is theirs in private freezing stores, and they ask for a license how which would not have been granted before the purchases as thev well knew (8) The a< •tion of the Government is not an arbitrary one, and I regret that it should ho considered proper to adopt such an expression with regard to it. (11) The business of the company was established with the object of establish- * ing a trust in New Zealand in defiance of the Act of 1918.