PEOPLES’ WILL

Grey River Argus, 21 September 1932, Page 6

PEOPLES’ WILL

FLOUTED BY MINISTRY Serious Allegations iTho official organ of the Auckland Farmers’ Union, “Farming First,’’ in its issue of Saturday, September JOth. asks some very important questions. It says: — Why do Goveimeats flout the will of the people? An examination of one question, now before the public, that of cool-stoiago of butter, may help to give a reply. Mr David Jones is one of those faithful party men who are well looked after. He was Chairman of the Meat Board, became Minister of Agriculture, lost his seat in Parliament ln, t his portfolio for some time-, and, the way made clear by resignation of the Chairman, again look tho Chairmanship of the Meat Board. Now Vestey’s the multi-millionaire meat company, have always bee n perfectly free to buy meat and freeze in the various Dominion freezing works, under Government licence. Mr Jones . to'd farmers in Auckland, some years ago, that there was too much killing space in Auckland and that th.* farmers’ works wer e uneconomic. By chance w e learned of an increase of fifty per cent, in Westfield (Vestey’s) killing accommodation, recommended by the Meat Board. This recommendation was turned down by the new (United) Government on the earnest protestations of practically every body representing farming. The additions were made. Not only so, but further additions have since been made, Government, last session, admitting this to Captain 11. M. Rushworth, M.P.. and promising to take the matter up at once. Vestey’s arc now in a position

to ruin the farmers? works as soon as killing drops to normal. The Horotiu works arc already redundant. But the farmers’ works arc assisted by butter freezing, and a company has now been formed to utilize the “spare space” a<t Westfield for butter storage, although the space was non-existent, and actually the storage capacity cannot handle the extra accommodation. Emphatically we state that there was “no space" available. Meanwhile. a gentleman representing Vestoy’s, said to bo in receipt of a salary approaching thc total of a baker’s dozen of Cabinet Ministers, remains in New Zealand. Il - ls not. hero to waste hi s time. The Minister of Agriculture is frantically searching the country for some body of farmers to back him in giving the necessary licence for cold storage of butter at West field. The, Dairy Con-

trol Board refused, and practically every dairy company has refused, the Minister’s pitiful pleas. Will that make any difference? Not a jot! The Minister is looking for some colour of support for action on his part. Vestey’s are not worrying. Although the licence was sought to us e their surplus space, and there was no surplus space —th ay have made their arrangements. ’They have done as they liked in the past and arc doing as they like now. Extensions are being built. Steel and other material has come to hand from abroad. Big overseas firms, even helped bv the unemployment funds a s tn this case, do not go to such great expense unluss they know beforehand that it is quite safe to do so. The Minister’s appeals then become play-acting. Scandalous beyond belief it may be, that overseas firms should make, their plans for the complete control of the Dominion’s key industries, the facts are plain enough. The building being erected at Wcestfield is intended for use as a freezer and cold store. Cork insulation is being used. Strangers | cannot go near the building. The plans . were not on view at the Mount Wellington R ,o ud Board office when enquir ed for, but it, was stated that the quoted cost, was £15,000 a price that is likely to be -exceeded. The. building i s of steel, with brick lining, and the freezing will be by connection with the pre- ■ sent plant. We cannot say that party funds hav<* benefited. This should be known. In plain English, is New Zealand being sold, and for how much? Another matter of importance in connection with partv funds is the oil business. If we had such “evi de-nce” as wc hold and it were in connection with a private person, we should keep quiet. With national interests at stake, it becomes necessary to mention ev<'n rumours. Thc information reached us from a responsible source, and is only at second hand from a person who should know as j much about party funds as anyone in the Dominion. We have been told that Two Ministers endorsed a couple of cheques from oil companies for the United Party’s funds last September, the amount, being £5,000, and we were told the names of the Ministers. The really important thing is not whether the above statement i s true, the im- | portanf thing is that the country is working a system under which not only may the statement be true, but, in time, worse, must be true There is no honours list here to supply Party funds, and such funds are essential to party success. The public must know whence Party funds come, or there will certainly be, if there does not already exist, wholesale corruption. It is not wrong for any Party to take oil companies’ money, but. it is wrong to i return the favour to fl le ' oil companies. . Those who doubt such favour need only read recent correspondence of the New Zealand Formers’ Union with th c Ho n .Mr Masters. Despite his own Department’s report, that Minister is clearly whitewashing the oil companion. Mr Masters has not replied to the Union’s questions as to the acquisition of oil lands and oil interests by the Vacuum Company, at thc head of which is a man who is also a member of the Railway Board—a dual capacity not allowed to a member of a local body, who must never be interested in any contracting firm dealing with that local body. Is muddle or corruption? We do

not know, (he oil business, the breaking of Dairy Control, the end of Agricultural Banking, the timber purchase at Rotorua, Vest-ay’s, the school-book contracts, cost <>f public works, the immunit v of public works’ officials Arapuni, the customs tariff protection, Auckland rail way station, Otahuhu workshops, privileges of thei liquor trade, of steamship companies, of various manufactories, ammunition contracts, and of hosts of similar matters, we com c to th-e conclusion that though we do not know with certainty whether there is rampant corruption in connection with Party funds, Jim Udward s and a bunch of Communists are incarcerated in Mount Eden gaol on presumptive evidence that could not. hold a rushlight to the evidence against, successive Governments. There should be impartial, searching judicial investigation of the accounts of political Parties, under authority io examine all documents, wherever located.