DAIRY MARKETING BILL

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25245, 25 July 1947, Page 8

DAIRY MARKETING BILL

PARLIAMENT

Clause By Clause Consideration AMENDMENTS LOST ON DIVISIONS . (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 24. The title of the Dairy Marketing Commission was amended to the Dairy Products Marketing Commission Bill during discussion by the House of Representatives in committee this evening. The change was made on the suggestion of Mr R. M. Algie (Opposition, Remuera). Other Opposition proposals were rejected after divisions had been taken. Mr K. J. Holyoake (Opposition, Pahiatua) moved an amendment that the Minister obtain the approval of the Dairy Board before making any recommendation to the GovernorGeneral for the appointment of the chairman of the commission. He 'said the Opposition wanted the word approval written into the bill. The Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) said if the industry did not want the chairman the Government chose then he would not be appointed. Mr Holyoake said the industry was entitled to a majority say in the conduct of its own affairs. By granting a guaranteed price the Government did not acquire a right to control the industry. Mr Fraser said there would be no amendment to the essential parts of the bill. A vote could be taken and they could abide by the result. The bill was agreed to by representatives of the industry, but he frankly admitted he had insisted on some of the provisions. The whole spirit of the bill would be nullified if the Minister of Marketing said he was going to appoint someone he wanted irrespective of the wishes of the industry. The amendment was defeated by 37 votes to 34.

Making of Freight Contracts Mr W. A. Sheat sought to amend the clause dealing with butter and cheese to which the bill applied to make it clear that the, making of contracts for the carriage of produce by sea would be a function of commission. As the bill it would still be necessary for the Minister of Marketing to negotiate such contracts. He did not think that was the intention of the Government. The Minister of Finance (Mr W. Nash) said the Minister of Marketing must retain the right to arrange the freight, because of the necessity of correlating the freight for all kinds of produce. , % The amendment was defeated by 37 votes to 34. , ’ , During discussion of the clause dealing with the methods to be followed by the commission in fixing prices for dairy produce. Mr W. S. Goosman (Opposition, Piako) said the 40-hour fiveday week had drained away from the dairy industry. There should be an equitable standard of reward for the longer hours worked and the discomforts suffered by those engaged in the dairy industry. . Mr P. Kearins (Waimarino) said that if the commission granted any increase in labour reward it should go to workers and those actively engaged in the industry and not to farmers who engaged «haremilkers. Lack of provision to that effect was to his mind the weakness of the bill. Fifteen of the bill’s 39 clauses had been agreed to when progress was reported. Second Reading Debate

Before the House went into committee, the Minister of Agriculture (Mr E. L. Cullen) replied to the second reading debate. He said all criticism of the bill had been Very helpful indeed, whether he agreed with it or otherwise. He was pleased that Opposition members had expressed their support. Mr Cullen said it was the unanimous decision of the joint committee -that the dairy industry should nominate a Sanel oi six members, from whom iree would be chosen as members of the commission. There Jiad been no instructions issued by the government on this matter ■ ' “ He did not know where the statement originated that if the industry did not accept the bill it would get nothing. There was no atmosphere of that kind in the negotiations. Mr Holyoake; Wifi the Minister say what was’the alternative to the bill? Mr Cullen: The industry could have turned it down. Mr Cullen admitted that there had been a great reduction in the number of cows in the country, but it must not be forgotten that he dairy industry had tost 20.000 men who went away to the war. That had had a great effect on the industry. Referring to the application of the 40-hour week to the dairy industry,. Mr Cullen said that the commission would realise its full implications and it would be taken into account when fixing the price for butter-fat. His own interpretation was that the 40hour week would be considered by the commission as far as the general economy of the country was concerned. “There is no one on this side of-the House who will not trust the commission.” said the Minister. He believed the atmosphere of mutual trust and cordial agreement in which the commission had been decided upon would 'continue to surround its work.

CARGO DELAYED AT LYTTELTON

QUESTION ASKED fif MR GILLESPIE (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, July 24. A claim that a huge quantity of produce was being held up at Lyttelton was made by Mr W H. Gillespie (Opposition, Hurunui) in a notice of question in the House of Representatives to-day. He asked if the attention of the Minister of Labour (Mr A. McLagan) had been drawn to reports of the congestion and what steps he proposed to take to relieve it In a note to the question Mr Gillesnie said that the comment from the Shinping Controller had been that the hold-up was due solely to the slow turn-round of ships. The report said that 20.065 tons of produce awaited shipment, the bulk of it being foodstuffs, including potatoes, urgently needed in the North Island.

YESTERDAY IN THE HOUSE

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, July 24. The House of Representatives began to-day with a Isrge number of questions, mostly from Opposition members. The House spent its sixth day on the Dairy Products Marketing Commission Bill. Discussion is now in the committee stages, with clause by clause consideration of the bill Fifteen of the 39 clauses had been passed when the House rose at 10.30 p.m.