COMPULSORY MEAT POOL PROPOSAL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume L, Issue 7891, 6 January 1922, Page 4

COMPULSORY MEAT POOL PROPOSAL

■proijucek: approve of PRL.W TPLE. The principle of a compulsory meat pool was unanimously approved by a meeting of representative < producers held in Auckland on Wed nesday. Mr R. 1). Duxfield, president of the Auckland branch of the Farmers’ Union, presided over an attendance of 14, including two members of Parliament, Mr F. F. Hockly (Rotorua), and Mr R. F. Bollard (Raglan). The Agricultural and Pastoral Association was represented by Messrs E. D. McLcn nan, S, Hodge, and A. I). Stanley, preaiden, vice-president, and secretary, respectively. The chairman explained that the Minister for Agriculture, the Hon. W. Nosworthy, had sent a telegram asking the union to appoint two delegates to the producers conference to be held at Wellington on January 10, to discuss the proposed meat pool. Mr Hockly said the proposed pool was quite the most important proposal over made in the producers interests. In general the meat trade of the Dominion was in a parlous condition, and could scarcely get worse, so that producers must support any move to improve matters. It should be clearly understood that the scheme was to be man aged entirely by the. producers, in whose hands would lie success or failure. The Government would advise and assist with finance if necessary, but the producers themselvea: would organise the export trade. Mr Hockly then read a report of a speech made by Mr A. Buchanan, president of the Manawatu sub-pro-vincial executive of the Farmers’ Union, at a similar meeting of producers at Palmerston North on Friday. In advocating a producers’ conference, the need for which, he / said, was great, Mr Buchanan said; "Our honour, our labour, and lands ate security for the interest and principal of our war debts, and to pay these we must not only produce, biit must also market our produce j td the best advantage. Even if we f take steps to protect ourselves we * * are in for a bad time. If we do | not we arejn for a worse one. The | members of the conference hope to ) settle preliminaries prior to the | constitution of an advisory board or ■i board of control, which should be j elected cliielly through the sub-pro- : vincial executives of the Fanners' Union

Mr Buchanan went on to say that the producers had a right to pool the meat for their own advantage, and'to improve their methods of selling, should delegates be satisfied that they had a reasonable prospect of doing so. Incidentally he urged that there was room for the reduction of freezing and shippihg charges to about 1.75 d per lb. for wether mutton and 2d for lamb. Another point mentioned by Mr Buchanan was the necessity of securing markets outside of Loudon, such as Manchester, Bristol,, Cardiff

Glasgow, and Copenhagen. He said that, district pools might be worked, and finances arranged in much t He same way that dairy companies now financed* their cheese and butter industries. The cost of management might be provided by the suggested levy of Id per head on cattle and Is per hundred on sheep with a minimum charge of, say, 10s per producer. Such a levy would bring in some £25,000 per annum, and might be modified td entitle each contributor to a vote and seat at branch meetings of the Farmers’ Union. Continuing the expression of his own* views, Mr Hockly said the objection made that the pool would interfere with the local market was erroneous, as only the export meat would be pooled, and there would be uo obstruction for producers wishing to sell meat to the butchers or to Westfield. By dealing in large parcels the producers could obtain cheaper freights and insurances, and reduce those heavy charg es which now made it impossible for producers to work at a profit. The scheme would meet with opposition from vested interests, the mere fact of their opposition showing it was not in their interests but to the benefit of the farmers. He com; mended the scheme to all producers' Mr Bollard said the question was whether New Zealand producers were going to handle their own products or let a trust do it. He said that Armours were “moving heaven and earth” to secure the primary products of New Zealand!, and by the pool scheme the producers could defeat the trust. The Prime Minister had received an assurance from the British Producers’ Association that they would co-operate in fighting the trusts.Mr A. A. Ross, ex-president of the Fanners’ Union, said that, whether the farmers liked it or not there would be unified control, bur the question they had to decide was whether it should bo in their bauds or under the control of a meat, trust. The idea of a compulsory pool by legislation was excellent and deserved ever}’ support, Mr F. Colbeck, Dominion 4 vicepresident and member of The executive of the union, warned the producers about the operations of the trust. Under the new scheme farm-

era would get move for their meat than the trust would pay. He advocated co-operating with Queensland, South Africa, or other beef producing countries, to supply beef to enable British butchers to obtain all their orders without patronising tliQ vested interests. Mr.J. Boddie, member of the executive, referred to the sympathetic and intelligent interest which he had observed was being taken in the proposals by the Prime Minister the Minister for Agriculture, the Opposition Party, and the Leader of the Labour Party. All recognised that the scheme would benefit the Dominion as a whole. There was opposition, but all the adverse criticism and comments, when carefully analysed, were devoid of weight. The new scheme was a stage in the commercial evolution of the country, and the present stress afforded the necessary impetus to carry the proposal into successful operation. Other members spoke in support. One stated that although 8000 signatures had been secured in the South Island by a trust, many of the fanners had now given their support to this scheme. The meeting approved the principle of the pool proposals, and appointed as the union delegates to the coming conference Mr Ross and Mr C. C. Munro, a member of the executive. The president of the A. and P. Association stated that he would call his executive together to also appoint delegates*.

PROTEST FROM BRITISH IMPORTERS. Rec. Jan. 6, 9.15 a.m. London, Jan. 5. The Council of the Incorporated Society of Meat Importers have cabled to Hon, W. F. Masse}*, (Premier of New Zealand) a resolution expressing the opinion that any compulsory scheme of meat pool ing by New Zealand, involving the participation of Government nominees, will cripple private enterprise and initiative.; will give New Zealand meat trade the most serious blow it has suffered since its inception; and will inevitably encourage the development of trade from other sources of supply, which enjoy freedom of trade. The Australian Press Association learns that the Council has evidence that South American traders recognise the advantage they ...will receive and rave already made plan* to utilise it.

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S VIEWS Wellington, Jan. 4.

Sir Joseph Ward, who arrived here from the South by the ferry steamer this morning, and went on by the mail train to Wanganui *to see tre decision of the sculling championship there to-morrow, declined to talk much about the meat pool for publication. He had not been called in to advise, he said, and he did not wish to embarrass in any way those who had. He realised that the position was an Extremely difficult one. His own observation and experience had 1 not brought him much faith in attempts to hold up world prices from this end. With the very meagre information concerning the Government’s scheme available it would be presumptuous for an outsider to say it was foredoomed to failure, but it would be pcrmissable to say the Prime Minister and bis colleagues would be entitled to very much credit, if they could divert the customary operations of the laws of supply and demand to the permanent advantage of the producers and of the public of the Dominion.

FARMERS SUPPORT SCHEME. A meeting of farmers of the Cambridge district held in Cambridge on Monday afternoon discussed the meat pool scheme. The farmers generally approved the Government’s scheme, and Mr Edward Allen was appointed a delegate to represent the Cambridge district at the conference in Wellington. , 1 Dargaville, Jan. 5. One of the largest and most representative meetings of producers was held in Dargaville, when the Hon. J. G. Coates explained the meat pool proposal. Mr J. R. Bell the well-known breeder, who recently returned from London, also gave an interesting account of his observations on the marketing of Dominion meat at Home, The question was fully considered, and a resolution was carried unanimously aproviug of the Government scheme Messrs Edwin Harding and R. J. Bell were appointed to represent Northern Wairoa producers at the meeting in Wellington on January TO. Gisborne. Dec. 31. A largely-attended meeting of producers discussed the Government meat pool, Mr Bridge, (president of the Farmers’ Union), being in the Mr W. D. Lysnar, M.P. was flie principal speaker, and moved’ a -resolution approving the Government scheme, “as an earnest endeavour to combat, the disadvantages of the existing'Conditions and relieve the present unwarranted meat slump.” An amjendmont favouring a loca] pool was defeated and the motion earned. e ' " ■■■—