PRICE FIXATION

Northern Advocate, 16 November 1935, Page 15

PRICE FIXATION

ECHO OF 1926-27 MR COATES REFUTES STATEMENT DUEL WITH OKAIHAU QUESTIONER. A dramatic incident came at the close of the meeting addressed by the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates at Qkaihau yesterday, when the speaker was ' , c . lenged on the question of his attitude towards the attempted dairy price fixation in 1926-27. . The chairman had announced that five minutes only remained for questioning, when Mr C. Edwards (Kaikohe), amid laughter and applause elbowed his way through the crowd at the back of the hall, and marched towards the stage. . . „ , Three times that night, he alleged, Mr Coates had said, in reference to recently introduced legislation, that time was wanted to prove the meaSUI*GS. He wanted to know whether in 1926-37, Mr Coates had given the Dairy Control Board and Mr Grounds time to prove whether its policy of price fixation would be successful* There was a halt, while Mr Coates searched among his sheaf of papers. “He’s looking for lorns’ quotation; the man who was paid £IOOO to break the effort,” someone called. Board Had Ample Time. Mr Coates said’ that ample time had been given to establish the principle of fixed prices. “No action was taken Ijy me ,” he said, “which interfered with Mr Grounds giving effect to the policy he wanted to introduce. These are the words of a colleague of Mr Grounds .” Mr Edwards: “Put on by you, perhaps.” . Mr Coates: “Why should you suspect me of not telling the truth?’? Mr Edwards: “Was not a cable sent to the Acting Prime Minister ‘stop price fixation?’ Mr Coates: “A cable was sent to the Minister of Agriculture acquainting him that those connected with the handling of our produce were much concerned at the policy adopted by the board. Mr lorns’ Statement. “Mr lorns, a fellow member with Mr Grounds on the London Committee, on his return to New Zealand after the negotiations had broken down, stated that there .were members of the board ‘who still cling to the delusion that we could compel the British merchants, distributors, retailers and consumers to submit to such terms as we cared to impose upon them, if only we hung on long enough.’ “In discussing my own part in the discussion,” the speaker said, “Mr lorns stated: T cannot help expressing my own very high appreciation of the services rendered to the board by Rt. Hon. Mr Coates and the Government’s representative at the London agency, Mr Stronach Patterson. I have read reports of criticism levelled against Mr Coates’ attitude towards the board while in London by members loi the board and others, which I should like to believe were misrepresentations of the speakers’ words; but, as they have remained uncontradicted that satisfaction is denied me. fact of the matter, which can be verified by any number of witnesses is that while in London, Mr Coates strove to the utmost to bring' about a satisfactory settlement of the difficulties besetting the agency and the trade. He spared himself in nothing. He gave no thought to politics or popularity. The interests of the producer were his one concern. The suggestion that he sought to undermine the statutory authority of the board was simply an outrage upon truth and dignity.” Opposed To Fixation. In answer to Mr Edwards, Mr Coates expressed himself as opposed to price fixation. That, he said, was a matter for the Dairy Board. Continuing, Mr Coates said: “Mr Grounds persisted in showing an error of judgment. A little tact at that time would have meant a great deal to . this country. Even at. this stage Mr Grounds thinks it necessary to pass the blame to someone else. He was responsible for the worst day’s work this country has ever done.” Mr Edwards persisted in his attempts to persue the matter further but the chairman ruled that questions must cease. Mr Edwards withdrew, hinting something about hiring a hall to convince the farmers that New Zealand had not suffered through the policy adopted by Mr Grounds.