THE TRUST MENACE.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1921, Page 4

THE TRUST MENACE.

COMPLAINT OF PRODUCERS

WELLINGTON, Nov 2

“I disagree vnUivly with trusts ns they are not in New Zealand lor the producers' benefit," soil! Mr A\ . Poison, Dominion president of tho Farmers’ Union, at a. nicotine of the A) nniriumi siih-cont.ro of the farmers’ Lnnm. “1 am not’ in favour of Armour’s but T disapprove of the extraiordiiiar\ way that the Government has gone about tilings. Armour and Company have a legitimate grievance and cou.d mulct tho Government In heavy damages. They put all their cards on the table, and told them what they proposed to do. and after they-had done it. the. Government, not hv legislation, hut u,ul”r th,. Customs Act, came down on them.

“I want to see Armour's meat got out of the 11.1 V. The point' seems to be this: while they are worrying about Armour and Company not shifting their meat, they are not- worrying ut trusts actually owning freezing works in New Zealand without word from the Government at all. At pcsent, we are trving to huild up » cooperative svstein to send our meat Home and market it to the retailer instead of middlemen getting enormous profits, hut what is the use of that when the hulk of our freezing works are owned l.v foreign trusts. The Government is making a tremendous noise about. Armour and Company getting quantity of meat out pi Now Zealand sifter consulting them; hut thev should pass legislation to prevent foreign trusts owning any freezing works ill New Zealand without th,. lull eonsenl of the Government. They are bothering a hunt the shadow and lewing tlq. substance alone. Armour an« Cinupanv should he allowed io go oil ami get' rid of the meat they have alreadv bought. at THE MERCY OF Till sis. ■•The trusts at the present time have practically a monopoly of the world’s i.ei’f market, and butchers at Home have lo eo to them hecause they are depeiiilenl upon them for mutton, too. Tlie result is that trusts pay New Zealand prod livers what they like and sell at their own price, too. New Ze*dand ewe and wether mutton is fetching at 11,nne oil to old. There is authentic, information than ill no case is it retailed i,.t less than Is (id per lh a fact which lias been bin keil up by tho cables from the High Commissioner. WHO BENEFITS.

“During the war there was a regulation that Home butchers should only got ;pl per lh profit and they did partienhirlv well. Now they complain through their trade joinmils that- they are only getting 2d per lh profit. Seeing, tin* price that New Zealand producers get. the question is, who is mak_ ing the other lid or Is 2d: There is mi question about powerful organisations in London making bund reds of thousands out of New Zealand products. and like a, hd of sheep the New Zealand people let them do it. t\ e want a conercte scheme to get. over this, and put th,. enormous amount of money ill the pockets of New Zealand farmers. \Ve must see that, the I rusts do tun control our frec/.’iig works anal this is where legislation is needed.'’