Support for acquisition

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33141, 3 February 1973, Page 3

Support for acquisition

The meat and wool executive of North Canterbury Federated Farmers yesterday resolved that “in the interests of the industry and the nation, this executive reaffirms its policy of full support for the establishment of a strong Wool Marketing Corporation with full powers.”

In a statement after the meeting, the chairman of the executive (Mr B. H. Palmer) said that in reaffirming its support for the establishment of the Wool Marketing Corporation the executive was motivated solely by the need to ensure that wool maintained its place in the textile industry and the prices paid for it were such that its production was profitable to the woolgrower.

“The fact is,’’ said Mr Palmer, “that the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries {Mr Moyle) has stated definitely that the powers of acquisition will be restored to the corporation; and the corporation has also stated that acquisition will not be introduced until 1975. “The Meat and Wool Council of Federated Farmers has put forward constructive suggestions to the minister which are intended to emphasize the responsibilities of the corporation to the woolgrower, and it is on these points that woolgrowers should now be concentrating.” Government policy in respect of wool marketing had been clearly established and this policy was in line with the Wool Board’s policy, which was endorsed last year by a substantial majority of i representatives of wool- | growers on the meat and iwool council and the electoral committee of the Meat jand Wool Boards.

“ft is now our duty as representatives of the growers to ensure that the introduction of the marketing reform is carried out in the spirit in which it was conceived—that is, for the benefit of all wool-

growers and for the industry and the nation as a whole,” Mr Palmer said.

In the very near future woolgrowers would receive a ballot paper asking them to vote on whether they favoured acquisition of wool. This was purely an unofficial exercise and the minister had had already stated that he would disregard the result of it.

However, the decision on whether to return his voting paper was purely a matter for the individual, and North Canterbury Federated Farmers had no wish to influence its members in either direction.

“We do, however, criticise the wording of the unofficial referendum which, as stated in a leader in ‘The Press,’ over-simplifies the situation which is far more complex than a straight ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. No referendum, official or otherwise, can give an accurate assessment of an issue which involves so many complex factors,” Mr Palmer said.

Mr A. F. Wright, provincial president, North Canterbury Federated Farmers, also reported that on Wednesday, the provincial executive passed the following resolution unanimously:

“That the provincial executive endorses the aims and objects of a Wool Marketing Corporation with powers of compusory acquisition of all wool?’