FARMERS' SHIPPING.

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 154, 2 July 1917, Page 3

FARMERS' SHIPPING.

THE CO-OPERATIVE PROPOSAL

In discussing the future of farmers' co-operative effort 'in New Zealand, some of the speakers at the Farmers' Co-operative Federation dinner in

Christchurch 4m Thursday night mentioned the matter of a fanners' co-operative shipping company for New Zealand, and the proposal received general support (says, the Lyttelton Times). Mr G. D. Greenwood emphasised the necessity for a farmers' shipping concern, saying that co-operation in this regard, was far more essential than co-operation in any of the many other directions mentioned in:. the. course of the evening. An .absolute I necessity existed, he said, for the; farmers to control their produce, to* its ultimate market, so that it mi|rhbe disposed of to the best advantage, not making profits for tiie dollars hut to make profit for the farmers. This was no time, of course, to attempt to Hoar a new shipping ; concern, but he had no doubt that * when the. war was over and ships could onco more he bought at reasonable figures, then the farmers would he able and willing to subscribe the necessary capital, and he hoped that the farmers' co-operative shipping concern would be successfully launched.

Mr H. D. Acland brought up the question by referring to the recent shipping fusion concerning the Union Steam Ship Company. Tiie big P. and 0. concern was. of course, out for profits, and he had no quarrel with that. But it was not out to assist the farmers who provided the country's exporte, and it seemed to him absolutely necessary that something should be done by the farmers of this country and elsewhere to get control of means of marketing their goods. They must get the same control of their wares as any other manufacturer had. The capitalistic system would lead to a throng of fashionable idlers whicli existed under plutocracy; socialistic control would still lead to idieis, not necessarily fashionahle; but co-operation must lead .to the workors getting the advantage of their own labor and organisation.