STIR AT MEETING

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3249, 7 April 1943, Page 5

STIR AT MEETING

MR MARSHALL WALKS OUT DAIRY ASSOCIATION NEW ZEALAND COMPANY Alleging that a question had been prejudged at another meeting to which his company had not been invited and that it appeared to him that certain members were endeavouring to put him “on trial,” Mr W. Marshall, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, walked out of a meeting of the South Auckland Dairy Association held in Hamilton on Monday. Mr C. J. Parlane, general manager of the company, accompanied Mu Marshall. One of the chief subjects for discussion at the meeting was the endorsement of resolutions passed at a recent meeting of a number of South Auckland dairy companies in connection with stabilisation. This meeting, at Morrinsville, had unartimously resolved to inform the Government that the industry was unable economically to continue on the standards of production, prices and costs laid down in 1938. Dissatisfaction was further expressed at the prices paid for dairy produce, especially in view of the heavy drop in yields this season owing to the unusually dry conditions for such a long period. It was also decided to request the Government that a special tribunal be appointed under the emergency regulations with a view to . establishing present-day costs so that the industry might receive an adequate return for its labour.

Reported Statement

After the matter had been opened for discussion, Mr A. J. Sinclair (Te Awamutu), asked if Mr Marshall, as a member of the Economic Stabilisation, Committee, would explain his statement at a recent meeting of the Dairy Board relating to the prospects y of securing an increase in the price (of butterfat. The statement, attributed to Mr Marshall in an issue of a dairy journal, was reported as follows: —

“If stabilisation came into force the principle would be that the price of farm products would not be increased; but in any case, the industry having last August accepted the compromise offered by the Ministei of Marketing, its only case for an increased price was if costs had increased between August 1 and the date of' stabilisation, suggested as December 15. While it was true that some sections .within the industry were not entirely satisfied with the price agreed, upon, the fact was that the industry had accepted it.”

> Mr Marshall said he was not prepared, to fall in with the suggestion of Mr Sinclair and would like to know, first of all, if the chairman (Mr S. A. Ferguson) had anything to do with the calling of the meeting at Morrmsville. Mr Ferguson said he had not. Mr Marshall said he was quite prepared to explain his position at the proper time and place and discuss the economic stabilisation of New Zealand. 'He wished to know what companies were represented at the Morrinsville meeting to which his company had not been invited. It was stated that the companies represented were Morrinsville, Te Te Awamutu, Norfolk (Motumaoho), Cambridge,, Hinuera, Sunny (Park (Te Poi) and Tatuanui.

“Matter Already Decided”

Mr Marshall expressed the opinion that it was to be regretted that suCh an important matter should have been discussed and his company not have been invited to attend. What was the -use, he asked, of discussing a matter to-day which had been decided already by the majority of members present in the room. He and his company had to work in close harmony with other companies for a number of years, but it looked to him as if certain members

wanted to put him on trial. They 1 could not expect him to stay and under the circumstances he considered that he and Mr Parlane should be per-

mitted to retire. Mr W. Darrall (Tatua) said that f along with several other members he bad questioned why the New Zealand Dairy Company had not been invited to the meeting in Morrinsville. They had been told that Mr Marshall’s company was unable' to be represented. No slight whatever was intended on the New Zealand Dairy Company. The chairman, Mr Ferguson, said that the meeting to-day had been held in order that Mr Marshall could be present and the remit decided upon discussed at Morrinsville had been held up until Mr Marshall had discussed it. Mr Marshall held that a committee had been set up at the Monfnsville meeting • and the whole matter thrashed out. If the co-operation of

his company were desired it could not be obtained on that basis.

Remark . Withdrawn

Mr J. L. Faulkner (Morrinsville) said they were aware that Mr Marshall could not be present until today. Mr Marshall should take some blame on himself that his company was not invited. He was the chairman of directors of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company and further was a member of the Economic Stabilisation Committee and was therefore in a difficult position.

Mr Marshall: I am not going to sit here and listen to that. If you are not going to protect me, Mr Chairman, I am going to withdraw from the meeting. Mr Faulkner agreed to withdraw the remark.

Mr Hawke said there was no intention of being discourteous to Mr Marshall or to the New Zealand Dairy Company, which had solely as its objective the bettering of the dairying 7 industry. It was freely mentioned at the Morrinsville meeting that it would be necessary to have the co-operation of the New Zealand Dairy Company. Other members spoke of the necessity of having the co-operation of the company in the matter and deprecated any suggestion of discourtesy. Membership of Committee

Mr Marshall said the fact remained that the meeting was called for today and notices had been sent out. A meeting had been called at Morrinsville on the eve of this one and his company had been omitted. The majority of members of the association had been invited and a decision taken by the majority on the question which was going to be discussed today. That was very bad practice. As far as his position on the stabilisation committee was concerned he was quite prepared to be judged by the industry. It was obviously impossible to work in copjunction with an association in which certain members took the attitude they did. Mr Marshall and Mr Parlane then left the meeting. Later Mr Harbutt (Cambridge) remarked that it was a pity that the

present position should have arisen and the interests of the farmers of the Dominion were to be sacrificed because certain companies could not see eye to eye. They should all pull together in the interests of the industry as a whole.