FREEZING WORKS CONTROL

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25741, 1 March 1949, Page 4

FREEZING WORKS CONTROL

FEDERATED FARMERS’ REPORTED VIEWS CRITICISM BY SOUTHLAND OFFICIAL (P.A.) INVERCARGILL, Feb. 28. The recent statement on the ownership of freezing works, issued by the Dominion Council of Federated Farmers was criticised in an interview by Mr W. Baird, president of the Southland provincial executive of Federated Farmers. ‘•Southland farmers cannot be other than very dissatisfied with the statement which has been telegraphed throughout New Zealand, purporting to come from the Dominion council, said Mr Baird. “It stated that the Dominion council intended to press for producer co-operative control of any freezing works being sold, or any new works being sanctioned for establishment under the Meat Act. “If reaffirmation of support for the principle of producer ownership and control was recorded at the last meeting of the Dominion council of the federation, such reaffirmation was not recorded in the minutes of the council meeting, nor has the Southland delegate any recollection of it. “Further, there were no grounds arising out of that meeting for a statement that the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board would co-operate with the federation. “The statement therefore was no. based on fact, and inquiry is being made by the Southland province about the authorship of such completely incorrect information as has been released. “It is obvious that the only wellknown endeavour being made in New Zealand to-day for hew freezing works is the very widely supported move of farmers in Southland to have new works built in the province on a SOSO ownership basis, and it can be concluded that some officials of the federation, without real knowledge of the Southland position, but with the intention of trying to damage Southland farmers’ chances of getting their new works, have issued what can only be taken as a statement based on wishful thinking. Why else should the statement be given such wide publicity at this time?

Southland Plan for Works “The statement could clearly not have had the sanction of the Dominion president (Mr W. N. Perry), who has written to Southland farmers, informing them that a new freezing works for Southland was a matter entirely between them and the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, and not an affair of the Dominion council of the federation.

‘‘Similarly, members of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board have pointed out to Southland farmers very clearly the weaknesses of farmers’ co-operative works. Again, in the case of the last freezing works to change hands in New Zealand—from the farmers to an overseas company —it was stated that such a transfer was a matter entirely for the local farmers concerned, and not affair of farmers elsejvhere. “Summed up, these exhortations to other people as to how their business should be conducted—without making any move to implement such strong-ly-held views in their own localities —would be ludicrous if it were not for the nuisance value such statements could have. “Southland farmers cannot do other than give serious thought to the worthwhile nature of continuing to contribute to a central organisation that issues such erroneous and misleading statements.”