MEAT AND SHIPPING PROBLEMS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 30 January 1919, Page 3

MEAT AND SHIPPING PROBLEMS.

HUNS OF FINANCE.

THE TRUST MENACE

THE farmers of this district are shortly to have the opportunity of listening to Mr W. D. Lysnar, who will give a lecture on the menace cf the American Meat Trust and Shipping Ring.

Mr Lynar has made a personal investigation into the working of the American Meat Trust and the handling of New Zealand meat at the other end, and while there he uttered some very severe strictures against the London meat trade and Port of London.

As the result of Mr Lysnar's campaign the Port of London authorities embarked upon a huge improvement programme which was to cost fourteen million pounds sterling. Not only was this done but it will be remembered that the Port of London Authority considered it necessary to send a special representative out to the Dominion to address meetings of commercial men and farmers, to explain matters and to assure us here that they would put their port in order. This surely was the best proof that Mr Lysnar's severe criticism was then justified.

■' 1 have given this matter of the trusts very close attention and careful thought," said Mr Lysnar, in an interview, '' and I am driven to the conclusion that we are being encircled by the tentacles of a very dangerous combination —the Meat Trust and the Shipping Trust; for, in dealing with this matter, it must be realised that you have to deal with both these trusts working hand in glove to the detriment of producer and consumer alike. There has been a good deal said about these trusts and the dangers arising from them, but no organised or authoritive effort has been or is being made by the people or by the Government, either here or at Home, to combat them and to avert these dangers. I feel certain that if the Government fully grasped the position and properly appreciated the fact that foreign interests are actually encircling the fields of our industry and commerce in the same manner as they have already done with disastrous results in other countries, they would take immediate steps to prevent it. The only effective method of preventing it is by a combination of legislative safeguards together with a very complete organisation of the producers themselves. It is essential in this matter that the Government and farmers should work together. " The grave danger attending the operations of these trusts can best be illustrated by the effect that the trusts have had upon the countries they have already conquered. According to official statistics, before the meat trust secured its grip upon the United States of America, the stock there was steadily increasing, and was not *anly ample for the requirements of the population of the States, but America was able to export large quantities of her rqeat to England, But from the same official statistics we find that when the tentacles qf the trust commenced to. close upon the American pastorajist interests, $ steady decline of stock began. The official data show that the trust qbtiained its stranglehold on, the American farmers in the year 19Q0 ; for up to that year there was an increase in the live stock of the United States, hut since that ; date the grip of the Meat Trust has been telling on the farmers an 4 the Uve stock of America h^s been grad^lly dwindling. It i$ officially recorded in the stock census that between I£(G§ and 1911 there was a drop of two million cattle and six million sheep in the United States, fox seme years past they have had to import meat for their ovyn requirements, Fqrther, it is. stated that hundreds of thousands qf acres qf American pastoral land have gone gut qf use q*U.VinS the past 15 years, shewing; thai the dominati'qn q| fee m.gatii^-*----by the foust i§ tob*-" ~ue fee pasWa-H-*-. _..v4iy causing .*»-"■■" " ..ous to abandon that ~c*uing for other occupations. l[To be continued.']