ELECTION OF MEMBERS

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 71, 25 March 1922, Page 6

ELECTION OF MEMBERS

NO "HOLE-AND-CORNER,"-

Criticism of the method of electing the first Meat Export Control Board was voiced at the meeting of the Dominion Executive of the Farmers' Union.

Replying to this criticism yesterday, the Prime Minister stated that one of the members of "the executive was reported as having said : "Instead of being elected by tho produsers, the board virtually had been nominated by the Government. The appointment of the board had been a hole-and-corner busi--ness, and tho farmers: in his district had no confidence whatever in a board so constituted." Another member (Captain Colbeck) had said the Government had had a majority on the committee, and had elected whom it liked. Another member said it was "a Government board." "Thesa gentlemen," said Mr. Massey, "evidently do not understand the position.. At a very largely-attended meeting of producers held in Wellington in January a committee of fourteen was fleeted, seven from the North Island and seven from the South Island. These, with the' six members of Parliament who had taken part in drafting the original scheme were a committee • appointed by regulation under, the-Act to elect tho first'members of tho Coritrol'Board.

"Five members'"'weTe accordingly elected, leaving two to bo appointed by the Government, and another who was recommended by the stock and station agents. The two members appointed by the Government wore Mr. David Jones and Mr A. E, Harding, the latter particnlarlv representing the Auckland and Taranalri districts, which : up to then, }iad not been given a representative Tho Government took no part in the election of the board, and had positively nothing to do with it. I think Mr, W. D, Hunt, the nominee of. the, stock'and, station agents on the board, is personally interested in farming pursupits, and I am quite certain that all the other members of the board are farmers, and have tho confidence of the fanning community, not only in their own districts, but right through the Dominion where they are known. The board has "started well, and, I believe, will do really good work."