Pig Producers Protest

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 296, 15 December 1939, Page 6

Pig Producers Protest

USELESS TELLING HIM ANYTHING Recently tho Minister of Marketing announced prices and conditions in respect of the marketing of pigs, but, according to opinions expressed ut last evening’s meeting of the Wellington District Pig Council, Hod. W. Nash lias ignored entirely resolutions passed at a joint meeting representative of 95 per cent, of trade and producer interests. Exception was taken to this action on the part of the Minister who, according to one member of the pig council, did not know a pig from a* goat, yet thought fit to interfere. A resolution was worded as follows: ‘‘That the Minister of Marketing be asked whether he Ims abandoned his policy of consulting producers before ieaching decisions affecting production and marketing of pigs, aud if not, why tho recommendations of tho producer and trade sub-committee on pigs, held on October 13, 1939, were modified by agreement with the trade interests without consultation with the producers’ sub-committco set up by the Diroctor-sub-committee especially set up by the Director-General of Agriculture.” Statements such as ‘‘the producers are being thrown to the wolves” and “we are wasting our time” were made in the general discussion on the lack of results accruing to the activities of organisations anxious to help the pig industry along. Much was offered in good faith but replies only came to band when everything was over. It seemed, council members said, that the Government was right up against the farmer, but it was asserted that tho time would come when the Government would have to come to tho people to get tho country re-organised. At picsent, however, it was useless telling the Government that re-organisation was necessary. They seemed quite satisfied results could be secured by propaganda alone. ‘‘We have a national executive which is only national in name,” stated another member. ‘‘We will get nowhere until tho organisation is independent, which is not tho case at present when departmental hcaas responsible to a Minister are sitting on it.” ‘‘Let them go on till they get into the soup. It’s no use doing anything.” —This statement closed the discussion.