DAIRY BOARD ELECTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19062, 6 July 1925, Page 13

DAIRY BOARD ELECTION

PROPOSED WARD SYSTEM, MR. GOODFELLOW'S OBJECTIONS. [llX rSIJSGHAPH. —OWN COBRBSPONDKWT. ] HAMILTON, Saturday. A deputation of dairy farmers from the Manawatu and Tarariaki is to wait on the Minister for Agriculture on Thursday in support of a rcquesit that- tho ward system should be adopted for {he election of members of the Dairy Control Board. Discussing 'he proposal, Mr. W. Goodfellow said it would be claimed by the deputation that tho Control Board approved the ward system. To show that this was not correct Mr. Goodfellow quoted from the speech made by Mr. W. Grounds, chairman of, the board, at, the meeting of the National Dairy Association in Hawera a few days .ago. x Mr. Grounds had said he recognised that the present system was not satisfactory, but there was' one' factor that should not'bo overlooked. In dividing the country into wards there were some districts where it would not be possible to , provide for obsolnto community of interest. As to the agitation in regard to the ward system, there had been factors behind this question that had only been concerned in disintegrating the forces of tho fanner. - . , Mr. Goodfellow said . that when the control scheme was being developed practically all the co-operative dairy companies had approved tho election of the board by means of a council. The idea was that the dairy companies should elect a council of 30, 20 members to bo elected by North Island factories and 10 by South Island factories. This council in turn would annually select . three Of their number to take seats on the Control Board. In this way the industry would always have 30 selected men with intimate knowledge of the export position, B>nd the great advantage to tho industry would be that there wouJcf be a continuity of policy. Under the existing jystem, the individual suppliers elected the Control Board members. The great majority of the suppliers had little or no Icnowladge of marketing conditions, and j.lthoogh they were anxious to do the right thing, owing to lack of knowledge and inexperience in such matters they refrained from voting. This fact was amply demonstrated at the recent election. Daring tho past few months an agitation has been stirred np by proprietary interests advocating the ward system of election. On the face of it, said Mr. Goodfellow, the plan appeared quite fskir and equitable, but upon examination it would ■be foend that the result would be disastrous to tho co-operative movement. Under the ward system, the proprietary people, could concentrate on two or throe electorates and over a given ' period of years would unquestionably gradually secure the nomination and election of men who were prepared to act in accordance with their wishes. lie ultimate result Obviously would prevent the propens and stultify the work of board in the interests of the industry. If the council systarn be favoured, the members would be elected on a provincial and sub{irovincial basis. This would bo an absoutely fair system, which would provide adeqnate representation for all districts. Mr. Goodfellow said the council system had boon supported by overwhelming majorities of suppliers throughout the Waikato and North Auckland, and he was convinced that, the conncil system, which is operating successfully in Denmark, would be in the best interests of the New Zealand producers.