F.O.L. Supports Farmers’ Marketing Organisation

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29722, 16 January 1962, Page 12

F.O.L. Supports Farmers’ Marketing Organisation

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, January 15.

The Federation of Labour offered to join forces with New Zealand’s farmers in an endeavour to persuade the Government that a farmers’ selling organisation was in the best interests of the country, said the president of the Federation of Labour (Mr F. P. Walsh) when he addressed nearly 1000 freezing workers at Ngauranga today.

"I am only surprised that some action to market New Zealand meat directly in Britain was not taken some years ago,” said Mr Walsh. “I am pretty sure the big overseas freezing companies do not like it one little bit that the New Zealand farmer wants to market directly a part of his produce. It is almost a sure bet that the big meat operators will run pretty hard to Parliament to put across their story. “Unless the farmers, who can be assured of the support

of the overwhelming majority of the people, present a united front and stand firm, the Government will find all sorts of excuses not to allow them to market their own meat in the United Kingdom. The Federation of Labour offers to join forces with the farmers in endeavouring to persuade the Government that a farmers’ selling organisation will be in the best interests of the country as a whole, and should be made available to them,” Mr Walsh said.