FARMERS' PROBLEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22975, 1 March 1938, Page 15

FARMERS' PROBLEMS

Sir. —As a former director of a cooperative dairy company it gives me great sat i.s taction in perusing "Veritas' " letter in the Herald of February 21. He is to be commended for drawing attention to Mr. A. J. Murdoch's remarks to the delegates at the WiM'd Conference of the Dairy Board, wherein the latter more or less approves the present method of local marketing by State control. Mr. Murdoch's platform when elected to the board is .-till fresh in the minds of directors of dairy companies, viz., that he stood "four square" for unfettered freedom in regard to marketing dairy produce whether for local trade or export. Has lie now donned the chameleon skin? Would this not be an opportune time for the leaders of the National Party, or Mr. Murdoch as an official candidate, to .state clearly their intentions? Whether they favour compulsory board control (which was a bone of contention prior to the last general election) as a substitute for the present system of State control, or will it be on an entirely voluntary basis, in other words, absolute freedom? Ex-director. Sir. —The letter of "Veritas" in Thursday's issue of the Herald is 1 worthy of serious consideration as it directs attention to a matter that is causing uneasiness in the minds of a number of those who are opposed to j Socialism, whether it be national or sectional. Leaders of the National Party have declared as follows: —"We will restore to the farmer the right to manage his own affairs, including the marketing of his own products." Mr. A. J. Murdoch, present chairman of the Dairy .Board, the candidate selected to carry the banner of the National Party in a northern electorate, and who was —and maybe still is—a supporter of compulsory group marketing of dairy produce (notwithstanding that he was elected .to the board mainly by dairy companies favouring free marketing, can see little to take exception to in the present Government's control of the local marketing of butter. Bearing in mind then that Mr. Murdoch is an official candidate of the National Party, are his past actions and present words to be taken as indicative of the party's attitude to | the dairy farmer, or does the declaration of the leaders mean that the individual dairy company is to be allowed to market its produce according to the wishes of its directors? It is a travesty to speak of restoration of rights if the same is simply to be a resuscitation of the compulsory powers of the Dairy Hoard, and forcing dairy companies to bow to the dictates of bureaucrats by the compulsion of a majority vote of the dairy farmers. On the answer to this question depends the sincerity or otherwise of the National Party's declaration. Socialism and Bureaucracy j are alike the enemies of freedom, and j both result in confiscation not main-1 tcnance or restoration of rights. Wo have had to tolerate these two bug- ! bears for several years now. Is it tbe i intention of the National Party to ' really wipe them out or are they merely j trying to "run with the hare and hunt j with the hounds"? Elector.