THE PIG INDUSTRY.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 29, 1 May 1924, Page 4

THE PIG INDUSTRY.

TROUBLE IN WAIKATO. Over the Use of Weighing Machine. On the allegation that a certain big company interested in the pig buyingbusiness was endeavouring to put smaller concerns out of action by refusing them the right to use the weighing scales at the various country stations in the district, an executive meeting of the Waikato sub-provincial branch of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union was held in Hamilton recently to discuss ways and means of dealiHg with the matter. The president, Mr. S. Lye, said that the question had been taken up not on behalf of the smaller concerns interested but in the, interests of the farmers. It appeared that a certain firm of buyers (Baker and Fenton), along with others, were accustomed to use the scales provided at the various railway stations in the district and owned by the big company whose actions were now being adjudicated upon. The company held a license from the Government allowing them to have the scales on railway property, but there was a clause in the agreement providing that other concerns paying a reasonable fee to the owners should be allowed the use of the scales also. Baker and Fenton had paid the rent for the current year and had received a receipt and a copy of an agreement which they were asked to sign. However, a clause in this agreement stated that the users of the scales must buy either on his own account or for one firm only. This would have the effect of putting out of action a firm acting on behalf of several small companies or buying on their own account for future sales, and Messrs. Baker and Fenton, recognising the import of this clause, refused to sign the agreement. Mr. Lye declared that the farmers who supplied the pigs considered that, provided the buyers paid cash, the animals should become the sole property of the purchasers to do as they liked with them, the big company having no right to dictate the policy •of another purchaser. Continuing*, Mr. Lye stated that the action of the company savoured of a desire to put the smaller companies out of action, and by so doing they were really doing their best to establish a trust that would do considerable harm to the pig industry. Messrs. Baker and Fenton were not mere agents : they bought the pigs on their own account and then resold them to the various small companies. If the big company was allowed to have its own way these smaller companies would simply be put out of business. At a meeting of the Newstead branch of the union, continued Mr. Lye, it was resolved to send a request to the Minister of Railways and the Prime Minister that Messrs. Baker and Fenton be allowed the use of the scales and a reply had been received to the effect that investigations would immediately be made. It would be a very undesirable thing for the farmers if the big company were allowed totake soTe charge of the industry and deal with the suppliers as they wished.

Mr. F. Baker, of Messrs. Baker and Fenton, who waited on the meeting, said that he was acting on behalf of several small companies,* and due to competition had in many cases paid a higher price for pigs than would be paid if one organisation had sole control. The speaker mentioned that his firm had paid out £30,000 to farmers for pigs supplied during the past year.

After some discussion, in which the action of the big company was severely criticised, it was unanimously decided that a telegram be sent to the Minister of Railways protesting against the action of the company forbidding the use of their pigweighing scales situated on railway property and asking that immediate action be taken to make them available to all pig buyers. It was further resolved that the attention of the inspector of weights and measures be called to the alleged defections in the condition of the scales.

The meeting also unanimously decided to request the Government to take over the control of these scales. Another resolution passed was that a sub-committee, consisting of Messrs. Lee Martin, S. Lye, R. Feisst, W. Morgan and R. D. Duxfiekl, be set up to go into tHe whole question of the pig industry in the Waikato.—Times. ACTION IN MORRINSVILLE.

At an informal meeting of the executive of the Morrinsville branch of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union the matter was discussed. It was stated that 10 scales in the district were affected

and that the proposed agreement would give the large company an enormous profit on each one. Messrs. Baker and 'Fenton had been threatened with an action for trespass if they persisted in buying for more factories than one at the payment of (Continued in Next Column.) 1

£1 per annum per scale. The proposed charge was £4 for each factory the firm bought for. It was stated, however, that Messrs. Baker and Fenton could go on using .the scales under the old agreement while the dispute was being settled. It was decided to write to the Prime Minister, placing the facts before him and asking that some action be taken to prevent the larger company monopolising the scales.