MEAT BOARD

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 69, 18 September 1930, Page 11

MEAT BOARD

METHOD OF ELECTION

MR. LYSNAR'S BILL

The Meat Export Control Amendment Bill, introduced into the House o£ Representatives by the member for Gisborne' (Mr. W. D. Lysnar)), haß returned i'ronitho Agricultural, Pastoral, and Stock Committee) a much-altered measure, although the proposals to alter tho system of election and to eliminate trade- representatives from tho board have boon retained.

All the clauses providing that .overseas companies should sell existing works to local companies have been eliminated.

Mi-. 11. G. Dickie (Reform, Patca) maintained that the cost of administration of the Meat Board in London was excessive, and could bo largely reduced. The board had been making contracts three years in advance on a .falling market, which was bad business. It had also purchased in Londqn a sito for a cold store, despite the fact that there was.ample storage accommodation there, and that the produce was being held more in New Zealand than at Homo. The board had done little or nothing to assist the producers in the fight against the big combines at Home. He was satisfied that the producers would eventually "get it in the neck." Ho also declared that ilie Meat Board's grading of meat was "not worth a hill of beans" to the Dominion. He defied ihe chairman of the Meat Board to say that any grading mark appeared on the New Zealand meat which was marketed in London. NEED TOR CARE. ' Mr. F. Waitc (Reform, Clutha) said the House should be very careful before it proceeded to alter the system of election. He did not favour the amalgamation of the various boards, as he believed that if that were brought about conditions would be far worse than they were at present. He was opposed to tho presence of commercial representatives on the Control, Board, it was going to bo a difficult matter to remove the Government representatives from the Meat Board, as tho board was partly financed by the Government. Mx. W. L. Martin (Labour, Eaglan) said Mr. Lysnar's Bill sought to eliminate the trade and Government representatives from the board, and he hoped the House would give serious consideration to the proposals contained in the measure. Mr. C. E. MaoMillan (Reform, Taurauga) said that tho farmers felt "that if they had the same franchise as the meat producers in the election of the Dairy Control Board conditions would be much moTe to their satisfaction, and ho said that therefore he did not think tho method of electing the Meat Board should be altered. Air. J. Bitehener (Reform, Waitaki) said he had never heard one producer in his district express any wish for a change in the system of election, and he thought that before any change was made there sliould be a vote of those interested. NO CHANGE DESIRED. Mr. T. D. Burnett (Eeform, Temuka) said there was absolutely no evidence that a change was desired. At the annual meeting of the Meat Board in Wellington recently the opinion was expressed that the effects of the Bill would be detrimental. The Bill was quite uncalled for, and there was ample protection against the operations of trusts and companies under the present Act. 1 Mr. W. J. Poison (Independent, Stratford) said that there was a feeling that th.c Bill waa more or less theresult of a vendetta between the member for Gisborne (Mr. W. D. Lysnar) and the member for Mid-Canterbury (Mr: D. Jones). Mr. Speaker: "Order! The honourable gentleman must not impute motives." Mr. Poison: "I don't intend to imphto anything. I will withdraw any suggestion of, anything af that kind; but there is a feeling in. the House that these two gentlemen are strong antagonists on this particular question. The Committee did not look, at it from any such point of view. It was felt that there was a good deal to be said 'for the proposal in the Bill. There was a strong demand, at all events, from a certain section of the farming community for a change to a democratic method of election," He said that the Farmers' Union had definitely expressed itself; in favour of a change in the method of election of the board. x Mr. ■ Bitchener: "No." .

Mr. Poison: "Jhe honourable gentleman says no evidence has been given from his district. All I can say it that he, as provincial president of the Farmers' Union, must have been sound asleep, because the delegates from his own district were present and voted iv favour of some of tho changes in the Bill."

Mr.'Bitchoner: "Oh, now you are getting near it." 'Colonel T. W...M'Donald (United, Wairarapa)..expressed' the. hope that the Bill would be passe*- The Bill widened the franchise very materially, and if passed would go a- long way towards making the board, the success it should be.

Replying to the debate, the Chairman nf the Committee, Mr. T. Lye (^United, Waikato); said thero appeared to be considerable confusion regarding the provisions of the Bill. He did not think any reasonable objection could r be taken to the method of election proposed iv the Bill.