CONTROL OF PRODUCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20174, 7 February 1929, Page 11

CONTROL OF PRODUCE.

MEAT AND DAIRY BOARDS.

AMALGAMATION PROPOSED.

MORE EFFICIENT SERVICE.

[by telegraph.—own Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. A suggestion that a change was needed in the method of appointing at least sonic members of the Meat and Dairy Boards was put forward by Mr. W. J. Poison, M.P., president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, to-day, when speaking at a meeting of the executive. "The question whether Vesteys are to be entitled to use additional killing space at West field in spite of the understanding that their permit to extend their offal accommodation did not mean any extension of their slaughter board, is a very important one," he said. "But it is equally important to know whether the charge is true that the Meat Export Control Board not only acquiesced and connived at the extension, but recommended that Vesteys should bo allowed to uso it.

"It must not be forgotten that the Meat Board, through its chairman, has taken up the attitude that there are too many works, and that that has been the excuse for not lefusing to support some of the weaker works.

"Not Satisfied With Explanation." "The position is unfortunate because tho Meat Board has been performing good service to the Dominion, and anything which shakes the faith of the producers in its bona-fkles is to bo deplored. But thei'o is one thing the Meat Board must understand very thoroughly, and that is that the farmers of tho Dominion, having rated themselves to create an authority to fight the meat trust in all its ramifications, are not going to allow that authority to make any concessions to the enemy without a full understanding; of the question and a full discussion of the facts.

"Personally, I am not satisfied with the explanation given as to why Vesteys were allowed to make use of additional killing space which tlicy were not authorised nor entitled to build in the first place, and which they could not have made use of if they had not ignored the decision of the Government, and I am inclined to think they would not have built the addition if they had not been sure of sympathetic treatment from tho board, after building it.

Change In System Needed. "Tlte mattef is one for the producers. We need a change in the method of appointing some at least of the members of both Meat and Dairy Boards. Admitting that Sir Thomas Clements is right in his suggestion that the Dairy Board should control its own shipping, I am satisfied that a combined board, with half the members, could advantageously run the whole business. We might have a board of nine members, instead of 20 odd, with one of them, the chairman possibly, a Government nominee, and the others selected from equal numbers of meat and dairy representatives in both islands.

"Such a board could perform all the function of the present boards much move. efficiently,' and the saving in expense t<> the producers would be euormous. I believe the bulk of our farmers would support such a. reform and that the country generally would welcome it." At a. later stage of the meeting Mr. Poison outlined his proposals in detail. He said he considered the dairy farmers and the meat producers should elect an equal proportion of the board. The chairman might be a well-known impartial business man appointed by the Government. He could have a thorough grasp of the business. A Member: But not. be in it.

The chairman said that as most of the dairying was in the North Island that island should have more representation. The meat representatives should be about the same in number.

Mr. 0. P. Lynch (Paekakariki) said that eight years ago, at the provincial conference at Wanganui, lie suggested the course now proposed by the chairman. After a discussion in committee the following resolution was carried: "This executive absolutely opposes any further extension of overseas interests in the freezing industry, and regrets that there lias been a violation of the policy which was laid down by the New Zealand farmers and the Government at the setting up of the Meat Board. It also draws the attention of the Government to the defiance of the conditions recently imposed which limited the killing at Westfield to 3000."