Policy Of Primary Production Councils

Northern Advocate, 19 December 1942, Page 4

Policy Of Primary Production Councils

Matters in connection with the constitution and policy of primary production councils were discussed at the December meeting of the Auckland Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union.

The president (Capt. H. M. Rush worth) reported that it now appeared that the present Minister might not proceed with the reconstitution of the councils proposed by Mr. W. J. Poison, M.P., when he was in the Ministry. It was evident that these councils were merely an organisation for implementing the Government’s policy, and, with the inevitable development of bureaucratic control, such policy was likely to become more and more inimical to farmers’ interests and to the general policy of producer-control of the industry. Therefore it was probable that representatives of the Farmers’ Union would tend to become more and more in conflict with the National Council. Mr. W. P. Begg (Northern Wairoa), chairman of the Dargaviile Primary Production Committee, said that he agreed with the chairman as to the danger of Ministerial control. He considered that district councils should be composed chiefly of farmers.

The president said that if the present policy was to continue, the organisation of the Farmers’ Union would become largely redundant. Sooner or later they would have to fight for their rights. An endeavour should be made to secure at least an appearance of democratic control. Mr. A. McConaughy (Paparoa) deprecated "this constant reorganisation.” It was a shuffling of responsibility all the time.

Mr. V. Simms (Otorohanga) said that the primary production councils had not done anything useful. He had resigned his seat on one of these bodies. On the president's motion it was decided that tl}e committee previously set up to deal with the question should take no further action.