POOLS AND INDEPENDENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18556, 17 May 1922, Page 6

POOLS AND INDEPENDENCE

FARMERS’ UNION DISCUSSION. AN OUTSPOKEN DELEGATE. (From Ouk Own Correspondent.) WANGANUI, May 16. Many farmers apparently seemed to be obsessed with the idea that a pool is a panacea for all the ills that present themselves in connection with the marketing of produce, and at the Wellington-Wairarapa Interprovincial Conference of the Farmers’ Union to-day a proposal was made that the Meat Export Board should be made to represent every branch of the farming industry. It was urged that if all produce were marketed in London under one control, expenses would be substantially reduced, and the benefit accruing would be rcpresomed by a better-filled treasury on the farm. Mr Hugh Morrison (chairman) said it was no use their blinking their eyes to the fact -that they could not dictate to the honey men, the fruit men, etc., as to what they should do with their produce. It was no use farmers suggesting a pool for these people. If they wanted a pool, and suggested it themselves, it would be different. If they got the machinery working it would eventually get to the point where they would have a federation of producers. . ■ . ' After much discussion a proposal was made that the remit be amended to read "that an, export board should eventually be made to represent every branch of the farming industry.” . . A Masterton delegate pointed out that the functions of the Meat Board were fixed by Statute. Now they wanted to graft something on to it. Eventually the amended resolution was carried.

Subsequently when other matters in connection with compulsory pools and Government control were being discussed one delegate spoke very strongly against the habit farmers had of going to' the Government for everything. Years ajgo, he said, producers used to work on their own. This modern method of working things was the thin end of the wedge of Socialism. The early settlers stood on their own, even after Downing Street had turned them down, and now they had ‘‘God’s own country” as a result of the efforts of pioneers. This going to the Government for everything was absolutely wrong .fn principle and should be discountenanced) The speaker was loudly applauded for his candid remarks.