Farmers And Progress League

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 September 1947, Page 9

Farmers And Progress League

Sir,—As one of the four Westland Progress League representatives who attended the Federated Farmers meeting on Friday last I wish to voice the strongest possible protest at the insulting treatment to which our president, Mr W. D. Taylor, was subjected by people from whom we look for a higher standard of conduct. .It is a great pity that a comprehensive shorthand note of the various statements was not taken and published. Such would, I leel sure, have raised our residents to the point where they would demand a complete retraction of many of the words used, and compel a public apology to be given. Your report stated that Mr Taylor was invited to speak. I must correct this by riiehtiohing that Mr Taylor had to make a, request to the chairman to shy h few words, notwithstanding that an invitation to attend the meeting had been received by the league from Mr J. Mulcare, secretary of the West Coast branch of Federated Farmers. Mr M. Wallace, who championed the cause of the Ross Lime Company and who during the meeting,was on.his feet for almost as lengthy a time as he was seated, and who at every previous opportunity had referred to the Cobden limestone as being from 40 percent. to 75 per cent, calcium, with am average of 60 per cent., did not observe ordinary courtesy when the Dominion Laboratory test of samples taken from the quarry by resident Geological Department officers was given by Mr Taylor, these indicating there were.no tests under 70 per cent., with the average showing at. 75 per cent. Mr Mulcare agreed that these figures. were correct, but Mr Wallace said nothing. Evidently, having told the “world” of his own figures, he wished them to remain on record. The manner in which Mi' Wallace snapped question after question at our president drew Mr Taylor’s wellmerited retort: “Am I under crossexamination?”, Mr Wallace’s references to the Progress League were far from being in good taste, to say the least, as well as being quite unjustified. It was evident from the point of view of a looker-on that the main spokesman had made up his mind to prevent Mr Johnston from starting at Cobden, at any cost, and his lengthy and high-sounding utterances were so delivered as to impress this point on his hearers.

Ths South Westland farmer who subsequently moved a carefullycompiled motion of castigation of the league did not receive the anticipated support, as Mr Mockett, who is president of the Buller Progress League, and Mr P. J. O’Regan, of Inangahua Junction, made him feel rather out of step. These two gentlemen are men whose creed apparently is “fair play is bonny play,” and they won through when the resolution, reluctantly, was withdrawn. I do not want to take up your space in telling just what the league has done in order to get the Farmers’ Union to assist in district matters, and what the league itself has done to bring home to the authorities the fact that the Westland of the future must be,a • farming community or thef-fe will be rib Westland on the

map of New Zealand. I do, however, want to let your readers know something of the financial position of the Ross Lime Company, as this will throw some light on the whole lime controversy, and the bitterness that has entered into the opposition. At March 31, 1947, the published balance sheet showed that buildings, kilns and plant at £4902 almost equalled capital shown as £4909. The liquid assets total slightly in excess of £llOO, made up of sundry debtors £767, fixed deposit £350 and imprest account £lO. On the liabilities side we find the company’s bankers are secured for £455, while sundry creditors amount to £5016. It is regrettably unfortunate for the shareholders that from liquid assets there is only about £650 to meet the £5016 owing to sundry creditors. At the date of the accounts the accumulated losses show as £2288. These figures speak for themselves. My reason for making this position public is to enable everyone to note that the Ross Lime Company, evidently in fear of /its ultimate position, is prepared to sacrifice industry and future progress in our district for its own sake. There seemingly cannot be any other motive. If Westlanders lose the benefit of Mr Johnston’s initiative in desiring to open up the Cobden works and to bring pakihi lands into cultivation, they can shower their blessings (or curses) on the Ross Company and its advocates. —Yours, etc., J. SAUNDERS. Greymouth, September 2.