WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 31 January 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

DAIRY BOARD’S DIFFERENCES. CHAIRMAN ANI) GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE. (Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON. .January 28. . Surprise in some quarters and indignation in others are being expressed in the city at the resolution adopted by the Dairy Board at its last meeting urging, in effect, that Mr Stronacii Paterson, the Government’s nominee on the hoard’s London agency, should he removed from his position because he is unable to support the whole of the board’s policy. Ihe wording ot the resolution already has gone the round of the Dominion newspapers, but in order that the local resentment may be fully understood it will not be amiss to quote it again. " That the Acting Prime Minister be written to.” it runs, “ pointing out that Mr Paterson. the Government's nominee oil the Loudon agency, is not supporting the policy of the board, and is making the position ill London very difficult, and the board considers that Mr Paterson should be retired from the agency.'' Mr Paterson, as is generally known, is a director of A. S. Paterson and ( o Limited, one of the biggest commercial firms in the Dominion, and was selected by the-Government as its representative on the board on account of ins intimate knowledge of affairs and bis high standing in the business community. In addition to these qualifications for the position he occupies on the board, be is a man in the prime ot life, with a fluent tongue, an impressive manner and a whole-hearted belief in New /calami and ils potentialities.

THE INDICTMENT. As the meetings of the Dairy Board are held lic.liinet closed doors, so iar as the uiisubsidised newspapers are concerned, it is necessary to turn to the board’s subsidised publication to ascertain the nature of the board’s indictment against Mr Paterson. “Jn connection with the Government nomi-

nee,’’ the condensation by that publii ai.on of some remarks made by Mr Grounds, the chairman of the board, rcails, “ lie was satisfied that no one directly interested in the merchandising of dairy produce should have a seat on the agency. The present nominee had declared himself as definitely opposed to the hoard’s policy. His continued presence on the agency, therefore, was a serious handicap to the board and a menace to the development of the industry.” Later on in the proceedings Mi* Grounds thought it necessary to emphasise his assertions. “ He considered the worst feature of the position was,” the condensation of, his further remarks runs, •‘that Mr Paterson drew a salary of CIOOO.a. year from the producers. He was entitled to bis own views, but while drawing that salary as a member of the board he should either obey the board’s policy as laid down or re-

sign.” Mr J. R. Corrigan—who appears to have changed sides, since lie was elected to the hoard a little while ago as an opponent of “ absolute control ” —is represented as saying that Mr Paterson had misled the Prime Minister while that gentleman was in London, and ,Mr Grounds as endorsing his friend's view. THE CHAIRMAN’S PROTEGE. Then there is published in the hoard’s newspaper from the pen of Mr Grounds an appreciation of Mr J. B. Wriglu which is given point hy an extremely offensive allusion to -Mr Paterson. "It is not necessary.” the chairman says, "to outline the early steps taken to develop lids idea of antagonism 10 the manager prior to my arrival in London, although these can he traced with reasonable correctness, [lilt, subsequent to my arrival in London. cablegrams were sent stating that the trade objected to Mr V right. There is no doubt that this was represented to M'- Coates by certain members of the trade, but probably with

greater frequency hv the Government representative on the agency, who never wearied in its. assertion. What soon became clear to his —-that ttie move was only a subterfuge to break down control—was proved at the joint (onfrrcnce ot some members of the trade, and ourselves, before the Prime .Minister. At this meeting, when their opposition to .Mr AVright was examined it was found that none of flies? delegates had been in business contact with him. They admitted that the objection thev had voiced were based upon what they had heard. Surely an extraordinary basis for the advocacy of views by a supposedly representative delegation! ” This seems to he the culmination of Mr Paterson’s offences. The representative of the Government might have been forgiven for receiving a thousand a vear or even lor disapproving of some ol the hoard’s methods, hut lor harbouring independent thought, never. fxpboyfx.

Tlu> indictment against -Mi' Paterson taken nil mi nil tines not stand’ for a print deal. .Mr Ground's contention, which is embodied in the board’s roso. littion. that .M.r Paterson should either conform to-the policy of the board or resign bis scat on the agency is simply ludicrous. Mr Paterson was induced to mo to London by the prospect of being of some service to the dairy Industry and the country tit large. Had tile Government’s representative simi ply been required to endorse the proposals of the board ihe might just ns well have been substituted by a junior officer from the Department of Agriculture, or even by a rubber stamp. The suggestion made by .Mr Grounds and his friend Mr Corrigan that Mr Paterson misled the Prime Minister as to the condition of affairs in London must have been aimed at Air Coates rather than at the Government’s representative. The Minister himself may be left to deal with these gentlemen whose methods of criticism on occasions may be extremely unfortunate. The assertion that M,r Paterson had spoken disparagingly of Mr Wright, in the sense implied, is utterly unsupported by evidence of any kind. Tt is true that he opposed some of Mr Wright's views, as he opposed some of the views of a majority of the hoard, but the effect of ibis opposition was Hint the office management of the agency was vastly improved and many of the disgruntled buyers and distribu-j tors were conciliated. If the Dairy Hoard would open its meetings to the representatives of the free Press it would have an opportunity to place itself upon a much more consistent footing with the public.