The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE MONDAY, JULY 16, 1917. PARLIAMENT AND MEAT TRUSTS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 16 July 1917, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

MONDAY, JULY 16, 1917. PARLIAMENT AND MEAT TRUSTS.

(With which is Incorporated The Tai hapo Post and Waimarino News),

Judging from the large number of inquiries, written and viva voce, we have received, as to what meat exporter in New Zealand had sold himself to the American Meat Trust, as stated in the House by Sir Joseph Ward, interest in the subject seems to be both general and widespread, riuch a statement would naturally create interest, and for that reason w« do not think the Minister of ’Finance went so far as"'he should have done, if only to remove suspicion from those buyers with whom the statement can have no relationship. The chief reason is, however, that the information is quite public property, and it is a little surprising that it is not well-known hereabout. Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward were fully informed some time before they left England that the largest individual buyer in New Zealand had passed into the hands of the Meat Trust, and it must be assumed that they did what was possible to arm themselves and the New Zealand producers against the scourge that is going to prove second only to losing the war and becoming German subjects. So mighty is the power of this Trust in British politics that our Ministers appear to have been' entirely helpless. The question was asked of the Secretary of the British Board of Trade, in the House of Commonsj by' Mr. W. Thorne, M.P., “whether he had noted that Armour and Co. have as a first step to the application to New Zealand of the methods applied by them in the Argentine Republic, acquired the export business of Mr. A. L. Joseph, of Christchurch, who was the largest individual frozen meat operator in the Dminion.” Mr. Thorne also asked, “Whether the Secretary of the Board of Trade was aware that most ,of Mr. Joseph’s shipments were consumed by the civilian population.” Mr. Thorne urged that at this juncture the control of any portion of our food supplies should not be permitted to pass from British hands to those of foreigners, and he asked whether in face of the fact that Armour and Co., Australasia Ltd., had been floated in the midst of a great war, would anything be done to curtail this company’s operations in New Zealand? Mr. Roberts, the' Board of Trade Secretary, coolly told hia questioner that no change whatever would be made. Our farmers may be taxed till they have nothing but a bare living, and they may respond to the politician and governing class to economise and give to patriotic funds“"lill they deny themselves the ordinary comforts of life, while they and their farms are being traded over to an enemy, to foreigners whose yoke it ha's been amply proved is what might be expected c rom the culture of Germany. If, :rom this on, our farming community shepherd their resources much keener than they have flrrffh in the past, the people of this country will understand why, and will "recognise that it

has become the farmers’ duty to the rest of the Dominion - !*) coiitinue to do so to the "end. This Dominion has been urged to contribute its last penny voluntarily to patriotic funds while its own GoverhjSTeht anH that of Great Britain have allowed its chief industries to pass over to a foreign company. As reported in British journals, it seems that individual members of the British Parliament are doing their utmost from their places in the House, to save patriotic New Zealand, but they meet with only deaf ears and evasive replies. ~ The Secretary of State for the Colonies had his attention called to the Report of the Colonial Consignment ami Distributing Co., which stated that the Chicago Beef Monopoly was endeavouring to corner the New Zealand meat output. Mr. Long replied thaf he had been in communication with the Prime Minister of New Zealand with a view to considering what action coGld be taken. We know from Mr. Massey’s own lips what that action is, for he has definitly stated that unless the BritisTT Government will take on the distribu tion of meat our farmers must fall under the Trust’s control. Mr. Roberts, Secretary of the B'oard of Trade, informed the House that no change from present methods would be made; Sir William Hall-Jones stated that ships were leaving this country crammed with Trust meat, and we hope that our farmers are making a note of just what is happening. Of course, there are interested persons who will freely say that we do not know what we are talking about; but we ask our farmers not to "Be hood-winked and fooled by the world-old methods practiced by an ancient-day Satanic corn-1 erer on Eve. We are merely quoting what took place in the British House of Commons and" in our' own Parliament. In another question Mr. Thorne asked in the House of Commons whether the Board of Trade had noticed the recently published balance sheet of the Swift Beef Co., of Chicago, recording a turnover of £115,000,000, and a net profit of £4,093,000, and that of this profit only a million is distributed to shareholders, while three millions are carried to reserve making it £12,000,000. Mr. Thorne als’o asked whether Ammour and Go’s'increase of capital had been noted, anfi~ that both companies propose extensive operations in New Zealand at the termination of the war. He asked the Board of Trade Secretary whether -he had noted that Armour and Co. had engaged the Australian stock expert, Mr. Kingdon, to act on their behalf in New Zealand; and whether in view of the domination obtained by the American Beef Trust in Argentina, and the mefhdas I used to crush competitors, he will at once open communication with the j Colonial Governments with' a view to I maintaining Government control and management as a permanent institution. Mr. Thorne got very little satisfaction for all the pains he had taken. While the war is raging we are j seized with a trouble that is scarcely / second to winning the war, and yet not one word of hope is vouchsafed, either in our own Parliament or in that of the British Parliament. It was pointed out that all high-class pedigree stock in England was being got away to South America, and the Secretary to the Board of Trade feigns that he knows nothing about it. It is well that our farmers should ask themselves about the future; they must not take for granted that Parliaments will do after the wa~what they refuse to do now. The forty .or fifty millions being built up by Armour, Swift and others in the Trust will be spent lavishly when elections of afterwar Parliaments are proceeding. The men in Parliament who are blocking legislation against the Trusts will have money poured out in election campaigns to secure their return, ~in New Zealand as well as in Great Britain. Trust representatives and sympathisers are feeding our people up that nothing can be done till after the war, and they will find that after the war it will be too late to do anything. There will be crushing taxation imposed, and Parliamentary candidates put up by the Trusts will promise farmers all sorts of'relief to get their votes. There is no time like the present. We ask farmers to consider well the position indicated in the quotations we have made from reports of proceedings in the British House of Commons,

A Sydney motor boat, the Yaucluse, in charge of Lieut. Doherty, of Watson’s Bay (Sydney), led the way into Bagdad, buoying the channel in the Tigris and sweeping the mines. The craft is well known in Sydney harbour, where it "was built.

Mr. J. L. Cathro, touring manager for the J. C. Williamson Ltd. Company, was in Taihape to-day completing arrangements for the visit of the Company on Tuesday, July 24, when the comedy “Baby Mine” will be staged in the local Town Hall.

A final reminder is given of the meeting in the Supper Room of the Town Hall to-night at S o’clock to consider the holding of Returned Soldiers’ Ball, and to make the necessary arrangements. Everyone willing to help (ladies particularly) are requested to attend.

In the latest ist of casualties issued by the Defence Department appear the names of the following from Taihape and district: —Wounded. Sergf. A. D. Campion, Karloi; C. P. Bogun, Turangarere; P. M. Byrne, Mangaweka; Corpl. H. A. Diamond, Taihape; Frank T. Kelly, Taihape.

A large meeting of Second Division reservists formed a branch league at Palmerston North, and adopted remits to the conference to be held next week, demanding conscription of wealth, so that all soldiers be paid trade union rates of wages, life insurance free from war risk rate, also free railway passes on the railways for all soldiers on leave.

In the course of the decision in the House on Hansard reports of debates, Sir Joseph Ward, stated that a ship left the Old Country about the same time as the Prime Minister and he did, which was laden with 1000 reams of newspaper. The ship was burnt, but he understood that there was no difficulty in replacing the paper. The difficulty was ships.

At the football match on Saturday afternoon some £5 was taken at the gate in aid of the Taihape District Patriotic Fund. This amount would have' been greatly exceeded, if the Patriotic Society had made proper arrangements for collectors. Owing to misunderstanding or otherwise there was no gatekeeper at all at one gate whilst Mr. Strudwick filled the breach at the other.

The pedestrian event held on tho Recreation Ground on Saturday, between two local sports resulted in a win for the Railway represented by a “long neck.” There was a big gathering of local “sports” to witness the preliminary gallop and final contest. When the rugs were off both candidates looked well. The wearer of the Red and Black Stripes looking in the better condition. Mr. Geo. Wrightson the wellknown starter of ped. events in Taihape had charge of the gun whilst Messrs. “Dicky” Davies and “Teddy” Jones acted as judges. The winner Avas trained by Mr. Donald McLennan and the second horse by Mr. Charley McDonell.

' In the shop window of H. D. Bennett Ltd. on Saturday was a number of photographs in one mount, illustrating to the full what some families are doing for the Empire. The'"bne frame contained the photographs of six sons of Mr. and Mrs. Liddicot, of Mangaweka. Fred Liddicot went away with the 4th Reinforcements, and although he suffered "from an attack of enteric fever he is again in the war area. Stanle3 r also suffered from internal trouble owing to the strenuous work in the early days of the war, and returned to New Zealand as unfit for trench life. Richard went away with the 9th Reinforcements and saw a good deal of hard fighting In France, where he was both wounded and gassed, which rendered him unfit for further service. Harold went with the 16th Reinforcements'and is still in the forefront of the fighting in France. Leslie, who went with the 20th Reinforcements, is also in the trenches in France. The sixth of the Liddicot’s to enlist was Cecil; he is now with the 30th Reinforcements, wherever they may be. The Liddicots may well be termed a family of fighters, as the yotlngest son, although many years ffom being of military age, is very anxious to shoulder a rifle. Mr. and Mrs. Liddicot have certainly done their duty to their country, and although Mr. Liddicot has a fair-sized farm to work he lias not suggested' that any of the boys should stay at home.

White Blankets, Colonial all wool. Double bed size, sale price 2S/6, 34/11, 39/6, (See window display) at The Great Winter Sale Collinson and Gifford Ltd. Banish coughs and colds and save money by using NAZOL. Eighteenpence buys 60 doses—enorigh to cure the whole bad-cold family. Get genuine NAZOL. 1 Some Sauce that; which, why, Lotus Brand of course. '

Mr. Swenson, of Mataroa, has received a telegram from Trentham that his son Private Martin Swenson, who was to have left with the last contingent, has been admitted to Trentham hospital suffering from an attack of influenza.

For the first time in the history of Taihape the firm of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., the big Australian theatrical entrepreneurs, will pay us a visit, on the evening of Tuesday next. “We have, in the past, had visits from companies who have presented plays by arrangement with this firm, but this will be the first occasion that a company has appeared here under the direction of the noted management itself, and we hope that this is only the forerunner of ma*ny other visits to come.

Mr. Broome Smith, who is delivering a lecture in St. Margaret’s Church tonight, at 8 o’clock, on “My Journeys in West 'Africa,” has spent 23 years of his life in Africa, doing pioneering and translational work, chiefly in Ashanti, Congo, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria. To be tried up for three days awaiting the pleasure of a drunken chief to pronounce the death sentence has been his experience. He saved the lives 'of seven persons at a cannibal feast as his fee for successfully performing a most difficult and seemingly hopeless operation. Mr. Broome Smith has undertaken to lecture on Mission work on behalf of the N.Z.C.M.S.