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The Government will be prepared, when legislation is completed., to make arrangements for advances to producers whose meat is contained in such pools, and, pending the establishment by the proposed Board of the necessary machinery for handling the business of marketing, freezing companies will be allowed to make sales and shipment of such pooled meat, subject to the approval of the Board. The Advisory Committee wish to know if your company is willing to establish such pools meantime under the control of the Board. On receipt of an affirmative reply full details will be submitted to you as regards procedure. P.S.—A telegraphic reply confirmed by letter will be appreciated, which please address care of the Department of Imperial Government Supplies, Wellington. Telegrams, "ImpSupply, Wellington." Mr. Jones's answer to Mr. Lysnar's complaint in respect of that letter is contained in the following, at page 820 : — When the Board was formed, that matter was dropped, was it not ?—I have replied to that. It was qonsidered that the price of meat was so satisfactory—higher than we had ever known it—when the Board came into being that we considered it would be unwise to interfere. This matter seems to be one on which there can be varying opinions. Mr. Powdrell, who was called by Mr. Lysnar, expressed his views, as can be seen at page 1060 of the notes, where the following is reported : — t Mr. Lysnar : I want to take you to another subject, regarding the Meat Board. Do you think that Board has functioned as it should have done for the farmers ? ■—• Up to a point I consider that they did good work, in arranging the trips and the freights. But considering they have been three years there, and that they have accumulated a very substantial amount of capital, I consider that in this Dominion they should be doing more for the farmers. In what way 1 —To relieve us from the burden of the low prices, in one way by establishing stores in London under their own organization of the Meat Control Board. And if they established selling agencies we could consign ourselves through them, and they would advise us when to ship, and generally help us materially in the selling of the meat. The Chairman : Something on the same lines as the Butter Board you would suggest ? — Exactly. That is just my own opinion. The meat should be placed on all-fours with the butter. Mr. Lysnar : You think the system should eventually finish up in a selling agency ? — I think that should come. Ido not say they could have done it immediately they came into office ; but now, considering they have been there so long, and that they ha.ve capital available, and the credit of the State, and they are backed by the Government, they could operate in the same way as the butter people. And at page 1066 the same witness says that he considers meat is on all-fours with butter, and he would definitely like to see the Meat Board handling our meat in the same way as the Butter Control Board is handling butter : — That would be by establishing a selling agency, as contemplated by the Act ? — Yes. And that is your complaint against them ?— It is really not a complaint; but I think that the time has now arrived when what I state should be done. I give the Board every credit for having done good work, but the time has arrived when they should go further. Mr. Stafford's evidence shows another point of view. The following part of his evidence appears at page 1262 : — I want to take you to another subject —the operations of the Meat Board. Do you think the Meat Board is doing the right and proper thing in connection with the marketing of our produce ?— I believe the Meat Board has done good work. I thoroughly approve of the Meat Board as far as it has gone. But I believe that with great advantage to this Dominion it might go a good deal further. In what way ? — When things are not satisfactory it should have storage depots and issue the meat at the other end at a price—that is, quality for quality, at given prices. It should have a selling organization ?— A wholesale selling organization. I wiil go further than that: I believe the Meat Board could defend the interests of the producer here far more effectiyely if it issued the meat at a price. I would carry it considerably further than that. Do you consider that the inaction of the Board in these directions is assisting the big meat operators and trusts ?—; I do not know whether it is assisting them, but it is certainly not clipping their wings. By the Board establishing that selling agency and advancing as the Act provides—what effect would that have on the farmers in stopping them from selling to big organizations like Vesteys ? — I believe that by the Meat Board issuing meat at the other end at a given price, most of the farmers—probably all of them, eventually—would sell through the Meat Board.