MEAT POOL BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18512, 24 March 1922, Page 6

MEAT POOL BOARD

FARMERS' UNION CRITICISM METHOD OF APPOINTMENT DISCUSSED. COLLECTION OF THE LEVY. United Press Association ) WELLINGTON, March 23. Reference to the Meat Pool Board was Tnarlft by Mr W. J. Poison (chairman) at a meeting of the Dominion Executive of the Kew Zealand Farmers’ Union at Wellington to-d!ay. The Meat Export Control board, he said, had been appointed and had begun its labours since the last meeting of the executive, and he was sure they all wished it a complete and triumphant success. A great responsibility was thrown on the board by the Act. It could compel all meat in New Zealand to be compulsorily pooled .or not, just as it liked He knew that many producers were dissatisfied, feeling that too great a responsibility was thrown on the board. Many producers thought the Act should not have left the matter in doubt, but the board had power, and no doubt it would use it as soon as it was ready. They must have patience, knowing that there was much preliminary work to overcome. At the same time he realised that nothing but compulsion would do. Mr W. G. Leadley (Ashburton)* called attention to a press message stating that following on an expressed desire of the meat producers that the export levy on meat should be borne by them, at Addington the previous day the fat stock auctioneers announced that all bids for fat stock for export would be subject to a deduction of the tax in accordance with the notices from exporters, and that the sale had proceeded on those lines. That, commented Mr Leadley, was allowing them to get the’ thin end of the wedge in. The result would be that the levy would fall upon the farmers. He held that the shippers should pay. Mr G. L. Marshall (Marton) remarked that what had been done was pure camouflage, in' crder to excite feeling against the meat pool, but there was no question that whatever was done the fanner would have to pay the levy every time. Mr Leadley said that the amount of the Ipvy—jper carcase—was insignificant. It wae the principal that was objected to. Mr R. D. Duxfield (Horotiu) stated that the freezing companies were objecting to pay the back levy, but not to paying it for the failure. The Chairman said that the matter was •very simple. The exporter would have to pay on export. He was deducting the penny from the fanner to make sure of it. -Mr G. Smith (Wanganui) expressed the opinion that the penny should not be paid at the saleyard, because lamb, for instance, might be sold again and again before it was exported. He thought that the levy should be paid on export. Mr Leadley stated that the meat pool was not yet in operation. The board was not yet handling any meat, but export buyers'were already demanding this penny. A common sense thing, he contended, was for the man whose meat was being dealt with to be charged with the penny. Mr Duxfield held that the Meat Control Board, indudirg two Government representatives, a stock and station agent representative and with one gentleman (Mr John Grigg) on it, who had expressed himself as absolutely hostile to the pool, waa not properly representative of the prodbcers. They had been told that the producers would be given a say in the election of - the ’board, but the matter had been rushed on them. The feeling in Auckland was that the board had practically been nominated by the Government and they had not the confidence in the board that they would have had if it Lad been elected by a producers’ vote on the lines suggested. The Government had a controlling influence on the board, although Mr Massey .had laid it down that there would be no doubt about it that the producers would have control. The farmers in his district had understood that this was only to be a temporary board, and that a' board was to be elected as soon as possible. The Chairman: There is to be an election. Captain Oolbeck (Auckland): Yes, in two years’ time: but two years is far too long tor a board to be in existence that we know nothing about Mr J. H. Joll Hastings) contended that the pool should be made compulsory. He admitted that the pool had already done wonders by raising values, but did they think that he was going to put his meat through the pool when he knew that other people had the privilege of doing otherwise? He urged that the executive should take a strong stand for compulsion. Mr G. L. Marshall (Marton) thought that the constitution of the board was very satisfactory. It was composed of good, level-headed men, though perhaps not elected in the best way. The board had not started operations yet. They should give it time to show what it was going to do—e chance to prove itself. Mr Duxfield moved a resolution to the effect that the executive took exception to the manner in which the board had been let up, and held the opinion that producers should have full representation on the board. The Chairman urged that it would be ■very inadvisable to pass such resolution now, even jf they agreed with it. It would not be giving the board a fair deal. Mr Duxfield said he was to the personnel of the board, But to the way in which the appointments had been made. They had been given to understand that the board was to be elected by a vote of the producers, and that this board was to he sot up only for a short time.—(“Hear, hear”) —and that then the producers would elect a permanent board, each district voting according to the number of sheep it }»d. Mr Leadley said that a feeling existed down south that an election had been hastened, and that it was a Massey board—a board. They had been-under the that this was to be only a temporary board, that the producers were to elect a permanent board, but that, of course, had not been done. . Mr W. B. Matheson (Eketahuna) agreed with the chairman that they should give the Board time, and not go back now to the method of appointment. Mr Joll said he understood that everybody was satisfied with the personnel of the board, and that its members were men in whom they had confidence. He suggested . that they should therefore waive the auestion of the method of their anpointment, *nd leave the matter as it stood. , , This closed the discussion.