UNFAIR COMPETITION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 163, 4 August 1909, Page 2

UNFAIR COMPETITION.

OUR FROZEN MEAT IN ENGLAND. DOMINANCE OF AMERICAN TRUST. ; By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, 'iiwa,..'. • The Minister ol .agriculture liiaut. an interesting speech at the Agricultural Conference, in the course of which he touched on some questions of great itni portauco. Referring to the fall in the price of frozen meat, he said he was ol opinion that something more than mere lluctuations of values was at work. The outgoing president had suggested that the American Trust might have had something to do with it. He had read the results of the enquiry recently made in connection with the meat trade at Home, and it was shown, without adducing anything definite, that things were not saiisfactory. The verdict was "not proven." Whilst the American Trust diil not dominate the Smithlield market, it was shown that its influence certainly extended to the provinces. His own impression was that the present condition of things could be largely attributed to lack of employment and depression at Home. Another cause was the system of sales and the claims that were' made for insurance, and for ' poor quality" of meat. Unjust amounts, lie saiil, were frequently awarded on really sound meat. Heat was then sold . at Smithlield for lower prices tlian ; more honorable tradesmen could ailord

to sell for. This tended to reduce prices. Evcrvune knew that one of the most | dreaded diseases was cancer. Lately an attempt had been made to do something of a more scandalous nature. The spread of cancer had been associated with the consumption of frozen meat. Mr. Mackenzie held up before delegates a poster which had reached him from Home containing the following words in flaming type:—"Cancer.— Frozen Meat.—Public Warning." This poster contained the alleged opinion by a medical man that the consumption of frozen meat was responsible for cancer. Newspapers published at Home contain-

Ed similar statements. "Some of our agents," said Mr. Mackenzie, "got on the track of this thing and got a denial from the medical man whose name appeared on the poster that he had ever been guilty of giving such s»n opinion, and it is thought that this may have been a move on the part of the chilled meat people of the United States of America.** I think it is a | most scandalous thing that prejudico of this kind should be created in the public mind."

The meat companies were of opinion that this season's stocks should be cleared even at a sacrifice to make way for next season's shipments. There had been some anxiety in the public mind as to the authorship of the advertisement in the London Daily Mail concerning New Zealand frozen meat, mi"! si:'ling that British people in this connection should support the country that gives Dreadnoughts. He had communicated with the High Commissioner and was making enquiries as to the authorship of the advertisement, and yesterday received the following reply: "Re your telegram of July 31, the advertisement was certainly not authorised by my department. Fuli enquiries have been -made, but -we have been unable to discover the origin of the advertisement." His own opinion was that some of the meat dealers in tTie Old Country were responsible for the advertisement.