MR. GOODFELLOW

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 106, 1 November 1934, Page 13

MR. GOODFELLOW

CO-OPERATIVE SYSTEM

METHOD OF WORKING

CHALLENGE ISSUED

A challenge to Mr. William Goodfellow, managing director of Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., to'_ demand a commission of inquiry intoMs working of the co-operative system in New Zealand was issued by the Hon. A. B. MeLeo^ (Government, Wairarapa) in the House of; yesterday. Mr. McLeod, speaking, during the second reading debato on the Agriculture (Emergency Powers) Bill, declared that no such thing as co-opera-tion was attributable to any stage of the dairy industry in New Zealand, that was, iii the strict acceptance of the word "cooperation." Much had been heard of the activities on behalf of the dairy farmers-of the New Zealand Co-opera-tive Dairy Company, Ltd., and of the efforts of Mr. William Goodfcllow: Mr. A. J. Stalhvorthy (Independent, Eden):, He is not here to defend himself, you know. "I should not have raised his name," Mr. McLeod retorted, "had it not been that he has made himself particularly conspicuous in the present Press controversy. For days past this House has been showered with telegrams that can be traced back to him or to his influence. What has Mr. Goodfcliow done to assist co-OpCratioli in this country? What has been going on in connection with the local markets in Wellington? It is widely reported that a contract exists under which chain Stores were guaranteed butter at a fractional price below current quotations. It has been }. foing on for three or four years/ and the arrangement standjs good for some years ahead." Mr. Stalhvorthy: Have you seen tho contract? Mr. McLeod: I refer you to tho statement of Mr. GoodfelloW liihiself. In that he said that if tho recommendations of the Dairy Commission Were given effect to they Would break a contract that was worth £1,000,000 to the Waikato and Auckland Provinces. That contract does exist, and it is for Mr. Goodfellow or those who support him to disprove my statement. ALIGHT 10 KNOW. Mr. McLeod contended that Now Zenland had a right to know the particulars of the association of Mr. GoodfelloW With the main, and tho subsidiary companies in which ho was largely interested, , and not for co-operative purposes. For ihstance, 50 per cent, of the shares iii Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., were held by the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., and about 50 per cent, by William Goodfellow and J. B. Wright. The balance—l per cent. —was held by on e Hames. Tho nominal capital of Amalgamated Dairies was set down at i£ 40,000, and the paid-up capital was&4ooft. That was seven years ago. The internal profits since .1021 had totalled £30,000. . Mr. A. M. Samuel (Government, Thames): There is no necessity for all the capital to be called up. Mr. McLeod said that it .would bo of intorest also to know who were tho shiU'elioiaers! in the Lister Separator Co. (N.Z.), Ltd., the Kiwi Bacon Co., Ltd.,' and the Empire Bacon Curing Co,, Ltd. A further subsidiary of*thc New Zealand Co-ttperativ6 • Dairy Co., Ltd/, was Empire Dairies, financed 50 per cent, b^ Amalgamated Dairies; Ltd., and 35 percent, -by tile a Australian Producers' Wholesale C6-opcrativ6;#eddra-''tidn.' "Wild, asked Mr. McLeod,'.1 owned the shares in tho butter-patting concern iii London which Mr. Goodfellow wanted handed over to the producers of New' Zealand? Mr. MeLcod said that particulars would be welcomed also of Mr. GoodfelloW 's connee'tidn With the so-called co-operative coal concern. Ho was not going to say there was 'anything wrong with the companies he had mentioned, but ho wanted to know who was responsible for, i-uining hundreds and thousands of farmers in New Zealand ■ ■ ■:.' , : "The weak Eeform Government," interjected Mr. Stallworthy. Mr. McLeod said that Mr. Goodfellow was on record as having declared that anyone who said the price of butter Would fall below 2s a lb was a dangerous pessimist. ' ■' : • Mr. J. A.^Lcs (Labour, Grey Lynn): ' The Prime Minister of New Zealand said that rlt the same time. Mr. McLeod said that While a number of people who had received advice from Mf. GoodfelloW had Suffered in pocket, Mr. Goodfellow himself had not suffered.; , _ • "VITSIOLId ARDOUR." Mr. McLeod's references were commented oii just before midnight by Mr. Stallworthy, who said the member for Wairarslpa had attacked with vitriolic ardour a gentlenian.who Was not present to defend himselfi. Hoinvitod Mr. McLeod to furnish the House with some more information as to who Mr. Goodfellow was. Was it the same Mr. GoodfelloW who wad selected to accompany Mf. Coates to Ottawa as one of his advisers there on dairy, produce questions, alid .Who was reported to bo one of the financial pillars of the Keform Party? Mri ; D. Wi Coleman (Labour, Gisborne): He is a Democrat now! Mr. Stallworthy said that he understood Mr. McLeod hud been head of the Reform.Party's financial organisation, so he wondered whether the member could tell the House something of the matters between himself and Mi. Goodfellow, and Mr< Goodfellow and tho Minister of Finance, in connection with the dairy industry and other matters. Had Mr, ; McLeod . only found out that same Mr. Goodfdllow after Mr. Goodfellow had found out Mr. McLeod? Tho statement about butter prices attributed to Mr. Goodfellow must havo been made ten years ago, yet Mr. McLeod had seen fit only now to put it on record. "Am I to believe?" Mr. Stallworthy asked, "that Mr. McLeod's was just a political attack—that lie has laid dOwn a new code, that if a man sceases to be a financial pillar of the Reform Party his honour and good citizenship are to bo judged by his contributions to party funds!"