DAIRY CONTROL BOARD.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 11 December 1925, Page 5

DAIRY CONTROL BOARD.

ELECTION SYSTEM TO BE ALTERED. MR COATES’S PROMISE. To urge the recession of the compulsory clauses in the Dairy Export Control Act and the substitution of the ward for the block system in the election of the board, a large deputation from the New Zealand Producers’ Free Marketing League waited on Air Coates and Mr Nosworthy in New Plymouth yesterday afternoon. The Taranaki Chamber of Commerce was represented in support of the request regarding method of election only. After Air C. E. Bellringer, AI.P., had introduced the deputation, Mr G. Gibson, secretary of the league, said that the size of the deputation (about 30) and the fact that nearly all were working farmers, proved the seriousness of the- question as seen by the farmers here. He then dealt with the need of an amendment of the election method on lines already reported. Air AY. J. Penn, representing the Chamber of Commerce, also spoke on this point. Both the Minister of Agriculture and the Prime Alinister spoke in reply, and they gave an assurance that a Bill to amend the system of election would be put through early iij the coming session, after the dairy farmers had been given an opportunity to express their views on the form the alteration should take.

On the question of compulsory marketing it was pointed out that as matters stood it would come into effect before an election under the new system could be held. Regarding this.. Mr Coates expressed the view that it was advisable,' in view of the value of the industry, that the enforcement of compulsion should be approached with the utmost caution. He also expressed the view that with an amended system of election to the board the matter of control of marketing would be entirely in the hands of the producers without any further legislative action by the Government.