THE MEAT TRUSTS

Taihape Daily Times, 9 December 1918, Page 7

THE MEAT TRUSTS

DANGER OF SLAVERY. FOE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS "In view of the danger of the farmers of New Zealand becoming slaves to the Meat Trusts, will the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister, when in England, go into, the whole question and when they come back lay the whole position before the people so that they may sec what it is?" This was a question put to the Prime Minister in the House of Representatives on Wednesday by Mr Nosworthy. Mr. Massey said that he would again express to the Imperial authorities his opinion as to the danger to the whole Empire if the Meat Trusts were allowi ed to establish themselves in the Dominions and in the heart of the Empire (Hear, hear.) He and the Finance Minister already had taken action in the direction indicated, and he thought that it had had weight with the Im- ' penal authorities. He understood that , the American Government had obt.aini ed a report on the Meat Trusts and he j hoped that the report would be avail- : able to put in the hands of every farJ mcr in New Zealand. Certain'amending j legislation for New Zealand was now j before the Stock Committee of the [ House, and he hoped that the measure would become law this session. Sir Joseph Ward said that while at I Home they had made very strong re- ' presentations to the Imperial Government on the matter, and he Avoulrl be very glad to do so again on every occasion that arose. He recognised the danger to this and to every country of great financial corporations operating in meat. He thought that the matter did require legislation to control them so far >as was humanly possible in order to protect against the pernicious system which had grown up in America and was taking the United States Government all its time to handle.