RIGHT TO VOTE

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 144, 19 June 1936, Page 6

RIGHT TO VOTE

DAIKY BOAED ELECTION

CONFERENCE DISCUSSION

(From "The Post's" Special Reporters.)

HASTINGS, This Dajy.

Every year or so the conference of I the National Dairy Association discusses the system of electing members of the Dairy Board. The main point at issue is whether directors of factories should exercise the vote on behalf of the factories or whether individual suppliers should have the right to exercise a vote in a one-man, one-

vote principle. The matter was again discussed yesterday, when a remit from Kaitaia suggested that the method,of election be changed to permit of a more direct and effective participation of dairy company suppliers either by direct i vote or through factory directors.

Mr. C. B. Michie, in moving the remit, said it was felt that the industry had drifted rather during the last few years. Suppliers had been deprived of the right to vote for the Dairy Board election and this was contrary to the democratic system. At present the directors of dairy factories were in charge of the situation. It was true that in the past some suppliers had neglected their right, but that should not be used as an argument against returning to the old system. The present position was very unsatisfactory, as there was no direct point of contact between the suppliers and the directors who elected the board. The Hon. J. Cotter, M.L.C. (Hinuera), seconded the remit. He said he had always opposed anything that would, rob producers of their rights. A director had no right to assume that he had better brains than the man or woman who supplied the factory. Every individual farmer had the right to exercise a vote. He appealed to the conference to take a democratic view.

DECISION AT HAMILTON. Mr. E. H. Cullen (Maungataroa) said that three years ago at Hamilton the conference had voted for directors

exercising the votes for the Dairy Board and they should be consistent. While his sentiments favoured tlw motion, his reason told him that it would be unwise to revert to the oia system of one man, one vote. . Mr. J. G. Brechin (Pahiatua) said that suppliers had never taken an intelligent interest in the election of the Dairy Board and he did not think they ever would. . Mr. E R. Bird (Kaitaia) said that I the object was to try to bring the suppliers' influence into the realm of national politics and the only way to do that was to give them a vote in the election of the board. He asked if the National Dairy Association conference had done anything for the rank and file members. The remU was lost on the voices, although the voting appeared to b* fairly even. '