MANAGING THE POOL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18012, 10 February 1922, Page 8

MANAGING THE POOL

"IN DEADLY EARNEST." NO ARMY OF OFFICIALS. NECESSITY OF THE TIMES. [BY TELEGRAI H. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Thuredaj. Mr. Mnssey said in the House to-night that it was not intended that the Meat Pool should establish meat shops in Great Britain for tho salo of Now Zoaland meat in competition with the people already in the trado there. Mr, T. it- Wilford (Leader of Opposition) : You don't know what the board will do. Mr. Mnssey: No, but I think they would bo very foolish to go in for Bhops. They certainly could not stand up against t,ho competition of huge trusts that own thousands of shops, Such a scheme could not succced. The great difficulty in the past has been that we have had nobody with sufficient authority to apeak with a sure voico where the producers were con. corned. The High Commissioner could not spoak for tho producers. Mr. Massey proceeded to say that the greatest enterprises in tho world were contro'led by individuals. Ho did not ecs why it should be assumed that a largo board would spell efficiency. Lord Inchcape controlled with his men tho great shipping enterprises with which he was associated. Ho had able assistants besido him. Mr. Wilford asked if Mr. Massoy thought that Now Zealand had any Lord Inchcapes to send to London. Mr. Massoy: I ask the hon. gentleman to read Groy'B "Elegy" aud to study it well. Mr. Wilford : And Kipling's "If." Ho said ho did not think New Zealand had any "muto inglorious Miltons" to send abroad. Mr. Isitt: They aro all dead and buried. Mr. Massey added that it was not intended to establish a hup jirmy of officials in London. The Government and tho board were not going to play with tho matter. They were in deadly earnest. The necessities of the situation could not be met in any othor spirit. Ho believed that men could be found capablo of managing the undertaking, but he could not say definitely what the board would do. The board would represent tho producers, and it must accoptj responsibility and own decisions. It wou'd consist of practical men, experienced men, if thev could be obtained, and the country ought to trust them as far as representation in London was concerned. THE ARBITRATION BILL. PASSED BY THE COUNCIL. MR. EARNSHAW'S CRITICISM. [BI 'TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] v WELLINGTON, Thursday. On the motion to commit tho Arbitration Amendment Bill in tho Legislative Council Sir Francis Bell, in defending the exemption of relief works from awards, said tho standard of necessity and tho standard of comfort wero two different ; things. The Hon. W. Earnsiiaw urgod ■ the Council to pass tho Bill without ; amendment and leave tho glory to the J House and the merits of tho Bill to the < people, who would express their view ] next December. The Bill had been ] rushed through on the point of tho bay- ' onet, and aided by previous exhaustion a commission should decide the rate of wages, not tho judge of tho Court. The Hon. W.- H. Mclntyro supported the Bill and so did the Hon. J. Barr. t, The Hon. J. MacGrogor protested against fixing wages on tho basis of the cost of living, instead of on tho principle of production. The Bill was subsequently passed without alteration.

COAL FOR AUSTRALIA. | SUPPLIES FROM DOMINION. NO ARRANGEMENT MAD]?. [BY TELEGRAM!. —SPECIAL REPORTER.j WELLINGTON. Thursday. The Leador of the Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland, asked the Prime Minister in the House this alternoon whether the Government had entered into any agreement with the coalmine owners of Australia or Now South Waes to supply I them with coal in tho ovent of an indus- ! trial struggle in New South Wales. Mr. Madsey : You mean to send coal from here? Mr. Holland: Yes. He continued that Mr. John Brown, one of tho leading coalmine owners of New South Wales, who had more trouble with his men than any jothor coalmine owner there, speaking recently about the local troubles, suggested that one method they would probably adopt wore troublo to oocur would be to close the mines in New South Wales. This, he thought, would bo decided upon and ho thought soon. Now Zealand, Mr. Brown had added, would supply all the j coal needed there in tho event of a strike. They could be sure of that. The Do- ' minion could supply all the coal they j required. 'T want," said Mr. Holland, " an assurance from tho Prime 'Minister that I can send over to Now, South Wales ] that no such arrangement has been made with the Government, and that none will Ibe made." Mr. Massey replied that no such arrangement existed. He could only say positively that he had never heard the suggestion made until tho hon. member had mentioned it. Mr. Ho'land : And no arrangement will bo made? I Mr. Massey: Not to my knowledge, I but I do not want to tie the Government, as I do not know' what will happen in tho future. Thero is no arrangement to my knowledge, but Mr. Brown may look forward to making an arrangement with the coalmine owners in this country. ' Mr. Holland: Tho ooalmine owners cannot do that. i Mr. Massey : I do not know anything about" that.