DAIRY PRODUCE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 49, 27 August 1923, Page 6

DAIRY PRODUCE

CONTROL SCHEME PASSED

APPROVED ,B¥ LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL-,

The Dairy Produc* Expbrt Control Bill was put through its final stiges in Parlianient on Saturday afternoon,- wheii it was disciussed in the LegislativV Couhcil.and passed.

The .contents of the Bill,'■were explained by the Leadet of tfi© Council (the Hon;. Sir Fran'eis Bill),- who said that it followed closely the' technitjue of the Meat Export' Control 1 Act. He hoped it ' would be passed without affletidme:nt. There' *6Md be little enough time before' JToveriibdr' for jifoviding the machinery foVthe taking' 6f a poll of the producers;upon the .question of the Operation' of the iAeai'iire: The Hon. J. B.Gfow said that tlte industry wag a vital <me, arid-the fullest co-operation the Dfcmiiii6n md" export countries was deßJrable. He stressed the necessity, of compulsion in order to .afford protection against P&ip?e* who might do things.detrimental to the' country and the' interests of the' producers. The' Bill,, should be allowed to go throughj and my amendments that were found riecessgr/ b^ experience could b e effected after it had had practical trial.

The Hon. Sir Walter Buchanan referred to his ' prediction forty years ago that the dairy industry would becditld the most important of the Dominion. It gave hirn^reat plea'a'ure that he had fieeii His' predictiotf fulfilled.

, Rfi^EßgNDtjk CRITICISED. The Hon. O. Samuel ifaised objection' to the referendum upon, the operation of the Bill. It was delegating what'should be the power of Parliajnent to.an irrespo.nsible- vot« of the* jpeop^ arid, carrying the liquor referendum—" hitherto the worst blot on,the Statute Book—a farther step. ■ The Hon. Sir Thomas Mackenzie said : that the repr'eseniation of the! people in Parlijament ;was overlooked in the referendum clause", which would establish a precedents and a levej for' demandi;'tor the' Vote, of the p'e^ple oh otnSr' questions. . It should be' for Parliament to say whether the measure was ai wiie; 011'^ or not. Referring to the. oomp'ulsirif clause, he said it was dangerous to' Jildcef such enohrioiis' po\vers iti tht jiaiids of men occupying positions; on the board. It was of the utmost importance that : only men of, the jhighest commercial exiperience should be; appointed to -the :board. ..He had pleSfeuVe' in welcoming the, Bill, but regretted' the' c§ni^lsoi;y i power given to ,the. bostrd/ and deprored i the precedent he had alluded to. He ! hoped the measure would be, a success, ; and that it, would, mean still greater ' prosperity to the Dominion. I " fTOT A R-EFERENIDIJM'.". . ■ The Hon. J l. P. k Campbell ,ob jected' ta jthe remarks about the, referendum^ It ;\vas ridS a' l'eferendu'm, but in' ffie; na'ttfre ■of a poll of interested, people to decide whether a certain isslie oi' a y certain work was necessary. 1 The Son., R.; Mpor'e'. tlaiigtt 1 P'ar'lia; : meiifi snoiild tajje the responsibility. '.. itfs did. not, like to see the thin edge of the wedge applied in a matter which should ibe/leeided by thß'people's-r'ep^senta-itiye? 'slbn'ei . .. j, 'TJie' Hofl. J." ;/£fie'.--cbiP;' 'tpl apH'eme -tb in; j'n,dustrial,.unibii,..ihd' isaid thit its'object wa« to proteidt dairy products io ttf best advantage m'\tha inia^kefe of th^.-^orld .by 6tkin^ jbirit ; action. Thefer should be difficulty jin c'onlpetin^ with thje; dairy Srpduce' o( jDeffmark, ,wh>ife' large ejfctfendi&re' wa¥ idevotid te nefcessiry . ittSteViara* ddrin£ the winteij. gea^bnv New'.Zealaiid". had no Bupii difficulty ib:,contend' with. Hd jhad no doubt the Bill cbntain;e£"weak>jnesSesV but' it! was an .eSgbyrimerit'ai inea-" isure, and could be improved as' time' j weiit on. ' . . . v |. o T>e; ( Le«<ler' oi th* Council said'-he,did ;npt; dfetect.ih' the discussion' anj^ oppgatioii td the BilL The iihpr'essjon ihat ;it ektablwh; a ; precedent:for a- w Iferendain in general-legiilSWpd was" ert■tirely. erroneous. It was: ," a^mitter" (specially, Effecting the producers, who' jsnould therefore"' b&.given at least apm^ kind of hearing, .The" liquoiv,referendum was a different question, and the ma-: !io«ty •of the, menitert of. .Parliament wereelected independent ot it. He cb'mpgred the" referefiSum u'pp'n ..ttie 1 tiew .scheme, with,a plebiscite. vote ugon a: proposal by.a. loc^l authority.. .. . .The Bill .was r'eiS a'.seco'na' time, put through the' Committee "stage, and passed. . '