MR LYSNAR’S CHARGES

Hokitika Guardian, 2 June 1925, Page 4

MR LYSNAR’S CHARGES

MINISTER’S KViDEXCE. ,\.V JNTERYIEXY RECALLED. WELLINGTON. May 29. Import si lit evidence relating to the sale of the Poverty Bay Farmers' Meat Company to \ cstcy’s was given la'fore tin' Koval Commission !>y Sir Francis 801 l am! the ilon. \\ . Nnswortliy to-day.

Sir Francis Boil said that in Sepember, 1923, tvlicn lie was actiiijr Prime Minister, lie received .Mr Lysnar in Ids room on September 17. lie and Mr I.ysiiar wore on very friendly icrms. Mr i.ysiiar at consideralile length detailed bis relations with the National Bank. It was not a discussion as be ('Sir Francis Bell) did not lake any part in it. Mr Ly.-i:ar was

not very coherent in bis statement. He said the bank bad unduly pressed t) l( . sale of the concern which was ipiitc solvent and able to carry on il mi veil time. lie also -aid the bank was sol lino to Vesteys. which was a meat trust. Involved in the first point was the allegation that they were selling at an under value. Mr

l.v-nar pressed upon him that hi should withhold an export license <v

refuse to agree to a trail.-lev. The withholding ot a license, said Sir Francis Bell, was a departmental matter, entirely at the discretion ot Mr Noswortby. The only right witness had was to is ipiest his colleagm to refer the matter to Cabinet. IK could not act himself, but lie thought Mr I.ysiiar thought lie could. As ti the bank's action regarding the salt witness told .Mr I.ysiiar he tumid not lift a little linger to stop the lank and Mr I.ysiiar assented to that. In regard to the other matter An Francis Bell said he told Mr l.tsita be would write to the bank, and pend mg the arrival of Mr Nosivurthy. win

was away in the south, the matter would he held up. lie did not know there was another nival company opera ting there. If he had the letter would not have been written. Mr I.ysiiar did mu cm.-.—examine Sir Francis Hell. MB NOSWOKTIIY EXAMINED. The next witness was the lion. W .

Nnsworthy, who cidente with regard to the interview with Mr ikuv--1 mils, general manager in New Zealand for Vesteys. “1 exauiini d Mr Rowlands nil every point.’ said Mr Nnswtirtli.v. ‘bind I warned him that if there tuts anything I eon midi-red contrary to the pul lie interest I

would exercise the powers ithicli I held under the Act. il I had been sc.tislied in my own mind that all was not well I would have bad no hesitation in cancelling the license without even referring the matter to Cabinet or any of my colleagues. I would he prepared to si an 1 up, to my actions. What, ground did Mr l.y-uar idler in objecting In I.It" Iraiisler cl the license 7- - I It* object.; d to their becoming purchasers of the winks as they were a meat trust. Mr I.ysiiar said the liuaiu ial position of the company was all right ! Yes. lie indicated that was so. Later Mr Nnsworthy said that Mr I.ysiiar had tried to get him to make a statement that he would do what he could to stop the transfer, lie v.tndd not com in i 1 himself. Sir .John Findlay: Was anything said to you by Mr I.ysiiar as to your duty h—l pointed out to Mr I.ysiiar that l had a duty to perform and that |.o the best tif my ability 1 would do that. 1 told him I could nut interfere between debtor and creditor, and that if I did so it would ! ■ again.-! the prim-ip! a, ot Brit i-li I " • . The Minister staled lie bad obtained a report from Dr Henkes and that report made no reroinuiondu 1 ion that lie license should be cancelled. When he rot timed from. I lie South I - laud lie denied nil hunt reference In Sir Francis I’.ell I" refer tile matter I > Cain net . lie did this to e.iu b- k new

what the political position aas and that there would probably be more trouble over ibis lieen-e than over ally other. The matter was considered by Cabinet on Sept ember ‘do ami rri,rred to the .Acting Prime Mitiisl. r end himself to take action. lie and kir Francis Bell discus rd the whole p >•■ - iiion and they i an:e to the coueliision that there teas mi reason why the license should not, he grant 'd. Sir John Findlay: It is suggested by Mr Lysnar that you didn't give him the opportunity of being; heard. Witness: I gat e him every opportunity. 1 do that lor everybody. Air Lysnar suggests that I lie pledges of the i bivrrnuicut have not been kept in regard to trust,.- That, is absolutely incorrect. I have de-eribed the precautions we look. A previous (loveriiliielit let Lesleys into the country. The present Coverumonl luts control over trusts, and I lie result is that at present we have no iuslilication in regarding Lesleys with suspicion. The policy ol the Government has been to see that no trust is acting to the detriment of this country. Legislation on the Statute Book enables you to control them: I don't think there is any more arbitrary legislation against trusts in any other country in the world as the legi,lotion passed between l!M)H and the present time, f don't think any other country has anything so drastic by a long Way.

Another charge made against you is that you have listened to big linancial institutions and not to the farmers?— 1 would like Mr Lysnar to name one financial institution which has even tried to bring pressure to hear on me. Ills statement is absolutely

Nov about the farmers?—All my political life 1 have keen doing all 1 could tea assist the primary producers.

LYl.en Mr Lysnar rose- to comment g his cross-examination Mr Xosworthy remarked. “Now. come on. Let us hare it all. You have the opportunilv and 1 am ready for you."

Air Lysnar began with releivnre to speeches in the 11.0 u.-e and ipinted Hansard and took what the chairman said was a preliminary canter. The chairman gave a hint that the commission wets not to lie used as :i preliminary to the general election, and Air Lysnar agreed to limit his cross-examination as much as possible.

iii reply to a question as to why lu lisitl not refused the transfer of the Poverty Day company's !i ei:.■;<* to \ esters .Mr Xosworthy said: liy should I he any more unjust to \ e.stey Broilicrs. who had not broken the fa tv, than any body else?" ft anything had been done wrong, he added, let Mr Lysnar take art ion against the It Joverninent. Mr Lysnar: Lou know of complaints hy tanners that A'esieys were eiiting their vitals out I- (Laughter). I ALT Xosworthy; .1 know enough aland tlte farmers to know that their complaints are not always correct. You said in the House that \ e-toys were eating the vitals out of everybody, hut you are dealing with Lestevs yourself. AL hat about your titals? (Laughter.) I Air Lysnar: AVe don't discuss that, (Laughter.) . Air Xostvorthv said he realised that if the sale to perhaps the only purchaser was missed it might lead to a financial landslide that would he most detrimental, not only to the farmers of the Poverty Bay district, but to the Dominion as a whole and he felt that if the Government interferred

with the batik’s right to sell the works it would have a most unfoi innate etfeot on farmers who warded to bor--row, ami upon the credit of the Dominion as a whole. He was of opinion that the transfer of the Boverty Buy license to Vesteys was in the best interests of Poverty Bay farmers and the Dominion ns a whole. In spite of all the criticism ho had received he would, under the same circumstances, do the same thing again. Tlu> commission adjourned till Monday.