DAIRY REFERENDUM

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 195, 15 May 1936, Page 12

DAIRY REFERENDUM

Attempt to Insert Clause In Marketing Bill MOTION IN COUNCIL DEFEATED An attempt by the Hon. R. Masters (Taranaki) to have a clause added to the Primary Products Marketing Bill providing for a referendum among the dairy-farming community on the Government’s guaranteed prices scheme enlivened the committee stage of the Bill in the Legislative Council yesterday. His motion to that effect was, however, defeated by 23 votes to JO. Mr. Masters, in submitting his motion, which was a very long one setting out in detail the procedure to be followed in taking the referendum and in financing the ballot, explained that it would give the farmers concerned the right to express an opinion before the legislation became operative. When legislation had been brought down in Great Britain affecting the marketing of primary produce, the farmers interested in such schemes were invariably given tiie right to make known their opinion by a plebiscite before the Bills became statute law. There must he a majority of not less than two-thirds of the individual farmers and twothirds of the produce that would be affected. Even after the proposals had become law, the farmers had a further vote on the question of repeal, which could be secured by a bare majority. The farmers of New Zealand should have the same right. A point of order was raised by the Leader of the Council, Hon. M. Fagan, who objected that the referendum would involve an appropriation for financing it. Therefore, the motion could not be considered by the Council. Mr. Masters said the referendum would first be financed out of the Consolidated Fund, which would be reimbursed by the Dairy Board on production of the returning officer’s certificate declaring the result of the ballot. There would be no permanent expense to the Consolidated Fund. He submitted that the point of order could not be upheld. Mr. Fagan contended that the Dairy Board would have no money to spend on a plebiscie unless the Government supplied it. Mr. Masters said there was provision in the New Zealand Dairy Produce Control Act. 1923. which had never been repealed. Under it the farmers levied themselves at so much a pound of butterfat and cheese. The chairman of committees (Hon. J. A. Hanan) ruled that the clause was in order. After brief discussion, a division was called for, the voting being as under: — Noes (23) : , n Fagan Goodall Bloodworth Hunter Briggs Lark Brindle McCullough Buddo Mclntyre Burns Martin Carrington Ma whet e Connelly p Byrne (’nffpi* Robbins Davis Snodgrass Doyle Trcvethiek Dye Ayes (10) : Alexander Masters Allen Russell Hayward Statham McCallum Waite McLeod Ward