DAIRY COMMISSION

Evening Star, Issue 21716, 10 May 1934, Page 6

DAIRY COMMISSION

THE FIRST EVIDENCE [Feb United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 9. The hearing of evidence by the Royal Commission which has been appointed to investigate the dairying industry was commenced at Parliament Buildings this morning. The chairman, Mr Justice Frazer, presided. At the conclusion of the day’s sitting in the late afternoon, he stated that the commission had not yet come to a final decision on the question of taking evidence outside Wellington. The first witness, Dr R. M. Campbell, private secretary of the staff <>l the Minister of Finance (Mr Coates), gave evidence regarding the discussions at the Imperial Economic Conference held at Ottawa and at the World Economic and Monetary Conference held in London last ycai. He also tendered evidence in connection with the discussion which had taken place be tween the British and New Zealand Governments. The afternoon sitting was occupied with an examination of the secretary of the New Zealand Dairy Produce Control Board (Mr T. C. Brash). Alter making a statement covering the many aspects of the manufacture and marketing of dairy products, Mr Brush was questioned at length by members of the commission. On Sunday the commission will proceed to Palmerston North with a view to visiting the Dairy Research Institute at Massey Agricultural College cn Monday, and there the various operations in connection with cheesemaking will be explained. The director of the institute (Professor W. Riddet) is; also a member of the secretariat of thiec appointed to assist the commission. Next week’s sittings will be resumed on Tuesday morning. EXTENSION OF INQUIRY SOUGHT NEW PLYMOUTH, May 9. Another meeting of Taranaki farmers to-night unanimously passed resolutions requesting that an investigation of farm and stock mortgages should be specifically provided for in the order ot reference of the commission. It was further resolved that a deputation should wait on the Prime Minister to urge that sittings of the commission should be held in Taranaki. WARNING BY MR IORNS. WELLINGTON, May 9. The opinion that those who hoped for a miracle from the Royal Commission on the dairy industry were bound to be disappointed was expressed by Mr W. A. lorns, chairman of tho Dairy Produce Board and a member of the commission, during an address at a reunion to-night of forty members of the New Zealand farmers’ party which toured Great Britain and Europe in 1930. Mr lorns added that he could n it say much about the industry at the present time as the commission was sitting.