THE MEAT INDUSTRY

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1926, Page 11

THE MEAT INDUSTRY

MERGER SCHEME DISCUSSED ATTITUDE OF CONTROL BOARD. FINANCIAL HEI.P NOT TO BE GIVEN x By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. A meeting of fanners was addressed by Mr. D. Jones, chairman, and Mr. H. D. Forsyth, London manager of the Meat Control Board. Mr. Jones said that the work done during the past three years na<t quite justified the hoard's existence. He strongly urged that more should be done in the production of pork for export and the growing of grain for pig food. Mr. loreyth said that the English market wanted short, nuggety Southdown carcases. The sending Home of ewe mutton had done the New Zealand mutton trade a lot of harm in England. Mr. C. C. Munro, <hairman of the meeting, said that one question that was exercising the minds of the farmers was whether, seeing that the Meat Control Board had refused the transfer of the license of the Wellington Meat Export Company, the board had gone into the question of financial assistance for any meat companies in difficulties. Mr. Jones said the attitude tne board took up was that the amalgamation of all the proprietary interests in the Dominion would not be in the interests of the fanner*. If there was a merger of various works into one big company the interest alone would be more than the cost of export to-day, including killing; there would be no competition amongst the freezing companies, and competition was always appreciated. In the board’s opinion, the wiping out of proprietary interests in New Zealand mould be a very serious matter. The- chairman then asked whether, in the event of a merger not being practicable, had the board considered rendering assistance to companies which were so loaded by guarantees, etc., that they could not carry on! Mr. Jones said there was no sug gesition of the board taking any such action. There were half-a-dozen freezing companies in difficulties, but the board could not see why it should render them financial assistance. Dealing with the fears of the Meat Trust getting control of the New Zealand industry, Mr. Jones said there was no possibility of that, because the Meat Board would step in and grip the Trust. The Trust could not grip the board.