CORRESPONDENCE

Grey River Argus, 1 July 1922, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE

WEST COAST CO ASSOCIATION. (Tdfthe Editor.) Sir.—Would Fj kindly alluw me space in your/fcffendid paper to say a few words if jSK-'onm'ction. with, the above three years ago, this nlorh,at question was first raised by tjf i:Jpc W. N. Moore,, Mr J. McElwee al Aether.-. T 1 they blazed Hitrail, for o it of the heart of their endeavour, s >rang th* movement of today; for/according to rhe latest report, the/ Cronadun Dairy Factory has been punhased, and will in future be, a co-opef itivc concern, owned and controlled py the farmer. Now, Mr EdiI tor, the onus of making this concern pay is on the farmer himself, and right there the trouble starts; for the farmers of the Grey, Inangahua, and Buller X alleys, are very much divided; —indeed; I am sorry to say, are full of party bickering, petty jealousies, and such like twaddle, as would give one the birch itch, to listen to. All this rot has to be overcome, and the sooner the farmers ‘’wake up” to this fact the better, for at present they are poles apart, and instead of launching out on a business such us this, they should first advocate for an “Apostle” of Christ to come through the district, preaching peace and goodwill amongst its people. And honestly, Mr Editor, he would have a busy time! The mere fact of the Co-operative Association purchasing the Cronadun Dairy Factory does not for one moment mean that all of Mr Meharry’s supporters will link up with this Co-operative scheme and become shareholders and suppliers. Not at all! and this is where there is a big split in the ranks, and which needs careful handling. There are a lot of farmers in this district who take a very sceptical view of this co-operative movement, and its present administra lion. and they are talking fluently of sending their cream to Greymouth. which, after all. might, not be a bad idea. They tell you they are being conscripted, and they don’t like that old smell. So if the promoters want to get straight to business, they should set* those people who are easily 50 per cent, of the suppliers of the district, and see what can be done. These are all decent, and intelligent men, whom I feel sure will do the right thing at the right moment. These people must be given the hearty assurance of the promoters, that they will be guaranteed full representation on the board ot directors; also that a proper general meeting be called, and with it, an election of a board of directors, such board to consist of not more than sewn < > me nbers. Why, Mr Editor, at pres I understand there are thirteen -13) of them, which is ridiculous, and unit iy. Why; ama n would have a bigger chance of agreeing with three mothers -in-law, and a couple of maiden aunts, than with that lot! And. iu choosing these seven gentlemen, they want to bear in mind that the class of director most suitable, is he who has been, and now is, making a success ot his own affairs —keen, fearless business men. who will ‘‘play the game. a: d b? loyal to one another and the pc- pie whose interests they represent. lam given to understand that ihis ■ e.-op-erative Association, along with paying its Managar £4OO per annum, proposes to pay to each of its directors the sum of £7 10s per a’'.num (thirteen of them). Now. will any sane man tell me that s the first mile-stone in economy? Look here! The director we want and will get, has to be prepared to give his services “gratis” for at least two years. By this time, the Association should be on its feet, or at any rate in a position to give a slight remuneration to its < ffic ers. I n the leant ine the watchword is “economy. ’ and the motto of the directors and others interested should be: “Not in power, nor in profit, but in the glory of achievement!” Ido uot know who all the

present directors are, but I will willingly trust my interest in the Associa tion with, the following gentlemen, who should till the role, and who are in a convenient locality to represent al: supliers from Lyell to as far down the Grey Valley as "you like to go. Messrs Tom Leamont, J. MeElwee, and Burt (of Grey Valley), Messrs John O’Regan, Ted McMahon. J. Taylor and Wally Bell (of IMangahuaL These gentlemen should give every satisfac Ton, and thereby release six men from office whose positions are a sinecure. I is not alone, enough to have an efficient manager, ami staff, and a tnii market for your produce,. ‘‘to win out,” in this venture. but the suppliers, as members oj an association must be loyal to one another, and to their manager, ete. and the (Erectors must not Ire looking for prefereu.ial tientmeut, and all those squabbles must I' buried deep in Arctic shows, for. it is those things that keitji the country back! Trusting that some “strong man” will step out at. this stage of the game, and take this matter in hand” and see it successfully through, for we want to see the West Coast CoOperative Dairying ..Association a realitv (and not a myth.) as some people would like it to be. which aided by cheaper production should m its turn help to lower the cost of the. iiuished article fur the consumer. I am. ete. BROAD DAYLIGHT. Inangahua Landing 29/6/22.

41 v I dtliy I iW I . i " 01J People s Honit\ tog» tb.<jr assistants, has dcciacd to on? July 31 xs a result of the recent a v Sort' in court oyer au Mr Joo Dick, the well kfiown suw-' yer. is at on-sent an nf fly* Wtstlami Hospital, sulfering from, broken leg. Owing to the bush area bvnig out, Mr Alf Graham’s mill -af Shallow B»bh, ‘'’>es -wn today. The w iiu Is of tire plant is immediately being r>f moved to Stillwater. MaPrrty and Co. have te-opened their sawiiuil at Hu Ho. The plant is living work* d full handed. Ih( usual weekly euchre arid dance* iouk .'nee at st. lary’s Chib Booms on .Wednesday evening. The attendance was good. The prizes were Avon by Airs Gilhoolly and Airs fSuumer, and Messrs E. Nightingale and E. Little The winners of the competition wer-c Messrs Hatch and Nightingale. Miss M. Pascoe supplied the music fur the dance, while Air \V. Hollo' had charge of the floor. ihe local dredges continue to do well. K>mu I lai is stated to have gDt one thousand ounces :.<r a fortnight’s work (13 day). Awatuna dredge got 55 iouhccs fot last week, which is very satis factory. Air John Findlay has resigned bis position as first engineer of the South trader AVakaiti. Some time ago your correspondent had occasion to be on the beach, behind one of the residences thci?, and saw a very high pole erected. XVirefe wen* running from the pole to the chimney and then led into a ‘ small room at the back of the house. The thought came that here in our town is a: wirekss station at last. Aly next duty was to find just how good tills station is. S mday evening I ventured in. and <n; looking into the room whither the wires led, I found a young fellow with receivers to his ears, and pencil in hand writing something down. J here were batteries, switches and in>irunouts all spread out before him. Then the wireless man spotted rn.\ and beckoned me in. He immediately explained why and wherefore of this mysterious business to me, and asked if I should like to hear the boys sending out their messages. Here was my chance. The receivers were adjusted to my ears and my first wireless message I was beginning to hear, without hn\ Ing the remot est notion of its meaning. However, the Signals were very loud, aid one could easily distinguish dot from dash in the long and snort mites. I was informed the notes came from the Auckland Radio Station, whose call could be noted. Sydney and Brisbane Stations were also heard. Then, for curiosity’s sake. I wanted fcp h<*ar out' of rhe big stations, in the. other parts of the world. Changing over on to the long wave, and I was soon listening in to Honolulu. What is the most distance station you have heard?’’ I asked. He stated he had heard New Brunswick ami New York in communication with -Bordeaux; a station in the South of France. Wire--less telephone concerts can be heard also, ami for those wTio > arinnt understand the codes, the concerts arc good. The items in just as if they were giv n in the same- room as the listener. Ur Heenan owns he local station. For an amateur one. it is really good. Anyone interested in wireless will be readily shown over the sot. Indeed those who have n«o *.visi?ccl a wireless station cannot imagine wonders. It. is to be hoped the Go\ wnment uiil give some assistance to 'The amateurs, who are to the complimented on their enterprise.