“UNDER CONTROL.”

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1922, Page 4

“UNDER CONTROL.”

POSITION OF ARMOUR AND CO. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. GOVERNMENT AND THE COMPANY. “The Government of this country put its foot down firmly, and Armour and Company were put out of business,” said the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W- Noswotrhy) in the House of Representatives on Wednesday night. The Minister had been asked a question on tlie subject and he made the first public announcement of the terms upon which Armour and Company of Australasia, a firm financed by J. Ogden Armour, of Chicago, are now trading in New Zealand. “They signed themselves out of business completely in this country,’ continued the Minister. “After they had done so Y, in conjunction, with Sir Francis Bell, the legal adviser of the Government, had to de&l with the whole position.” Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton): They were out against your will. The Minister: The honorable ‘gentleman has no right to say that. Mr. Witty:- You fought for them every time. The Minister: I fought them every time and I fought them. out. Mr. Witty: Then you let them in again. The Minister: They were allowed in on a different k footing altogether. When they were put out of business there was no meat producers’ board. They asked me before the board came into existence what would be their position, and I told them frankly and straight-forwardly that once the Bill became law and the business lines were properly laid down, the Government would treat Armours exactly as it would treat any other export firm in this country. Mr. Witty: You cannot put them out. The Minister: They were put out. Mr. Witty: They were still there, and they are still there now. The Minister: They are there now, but are under the control of the board, which is composed of representatives of the farmers, and which would be responsible to the people of this country if it let Armours or any other company do what is wrong in the interests of the Dominion. Armour and Company have not a license. The other firms exporting have licenses. Armour and Company are doing their business through the Meat Producers’ Board. I signed no license for them, and I retain my right as Minister in charge of the de- ( partment to ask tbe board to stop them any day if the Government thinks they are doing wrong. But as long as there is nothing wrong and they do their business in a legitimate and proper way through the facilities provided by the Meat Control Act, they are to have the same rights to trade as any other company, and I am glad to say they are opening up a big trade with America. The Minister added that the Governmetn did not wish any firm. The Government had shown that it was prepared to keep this particular firm in cheek. Armour and Company were required to do business the way the Government wished, and he thought they would do this.