NEARBY FARMERS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 72, 25 March 1926, Page 5

NEARBY FARMERS

SPEECHES AT ANNUAL DINNER

PRIME MINISTER ON EMPIRE.

Interesting addresses were delivered at the annual dinner of the Wellington Dairy Farmers last evening. Guests present included the Prime Minister (the Hon. J. G. Coates), the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. O. J. Hawken), the Minister of Health (the Hon. J. A. Young), Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., and the Director-General of Agriculture (Dr. C. J. Reakes). Mr. J. Purchase presided.

The chairman proposed the toast "The Empire," and this was responded to by the Prime Minister, who said that the Dominion could assist the Mother Country in no better way than by helping to bring out. the right class of man, woman, and child to this country. While the Empire was finding difficulty in the reconstruction so essential after severe war problems, the Dominions must assist the Mother Country in her hour of need. In this way they could be true Imperialists. They must also keep in touch with other parts of the Empire in order to bring about that close co-operation necessary to make the Empire what it should be.

of "The Government" was proposed by Mr. J. Maher, who said he fully realised that the Government had to do their duty to all parts of the community, and he believed that they were doing their best to hold the balance evenly, between all sections. The farmers had real difficulties in th- way, but they recognised that the Agricultural Department did their best to help them.

The Minister's reply is reported else where.

In responding to the toast of "The Health of the Community," proposed by Mr. E. Lewer, the Minister of Health said that one of his officers had assured him that the milk supply of Wellington was excellent, and he was glad to hear that the dispute which had occurred had spurred 'them on to produce the best quality of/milk. Hi_i Department had more to &-> with the prevention of disease than the curing of it. and he believed there should be greater co-ordination between the Agricultural Department and the Health Department.

Responding to the toast of "The Member for Otaki," Mr. Field said that from what he knew of the Minister of Agriculture he believed a solution of the milk trouble would be found. The trouble should be mended or ended, and personally he fought it should be ended by the abolition of the legislation. He did not believe - pasteurised milk was better than pure, fresh milk from the farmer; ye*- there.was enormous expense involved in the system at present adopted, and the consumer had to pay the cost. His idea was that the council should only be the distributors of milk. He was not looking for any further fijht in the matter, but believed tho Government ought and could finally settle , it. He believed they were wasting their money in paying high salaries, using expensive machinery and obsolete methods, raising the "'price of milk unnecessarily, and doing what they should not all round.