DAIRY EXPORT

Evening Star, Issue 19712, 12 November 1927, Page 4

DAIRY EXPORT

THE LICENSE CONDITIONS QUESTIONS OVER HOLD-UP p-Rca Our Parliament art Kefcktee.] WELLINGTON, November 11. The holding up of dairy consignments in Auckland by the Dairy Export Control Board was the subject of an urgent question to the Prime Minister by Mr Nash (Palmerston North) when the House met this afternoon. The Dairy Board, he said, was holding up shipments owing to factories refusing to comply with the demands of the board, which was insisting that factories should give it full authority to inspect the sales books of the merchant at Home. Ho added that many companies had declined to accede to tho board’s demands. He wished to know of the Prime Minister if something could be done. The Prime Minister stated that he recently had an opportunity of discussing the matter with representatives of tho Dairy Control Board. As ho understood the position, and the Government had nothing to do with it, the Dairy Board had its Act and administered it. However, he was sufficiently interested to find out to what extent they were proceeding on what appeared at first blush to bo a drastic action. They were taking power, if nccessdry to have an audit of sales overseas, and ho did not think there was any idea in the minds of the board’s members that they would enforce this unless the companies concerned asked for it. Mr Nash: Hero is tho wire. Mr Coates; Yes, I know the wire. The Government cannot Interfere without altering tho legislation, and we do not propose to alter it. It is not the intention of tho board to enforce anything of tho kind, but it is taking this power if it considers, in tho interests of the industry, it is necessary. Sir Joseph Ward asked if it was intended that one authority ■ could override tho decision of the owners of an article. Members: No

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Hawken), who was not in the Hpuso when the question was raised, arrived during the Prime Minister’s/explanation, and added to his remarks.’ Mr Hawken pointed out that, under conditions of absolute control, no licenses to export were required. When control ceased it was necessary to obtain export licenses. There were 600 factories, and he understood that, only two stood out and refused to accept tho conditions. Tho object of the regulations, was that the staff of tho board should know ior tho benefit of the factories the prices which each factory received, and the charges . made in Loudon. This information would only bo available with tho consent of tho factory concerned’.

Mr Nash:' Some have signed under protest. The Minister of Agriculture: “Yes. some; but only a few.” Ho knew of factories in South Taranaki who did not come under control, but they regarded the present export regulations as a very good thing indeed. It would give them information to check up their sales, and would bo believed, ; be very much to the benefit of the industry. Tins information could only be used with the consent of tho_ factory concerned, so ho saw no objection,-