DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19013, 8 November 1923, Page 11

DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Yrmr decision to refuse the use of your columns for fulsome laudations of the nominees of the self-constituted Dairy Council is timely and wise. No amount of information furnished and digested can alter the fact, —pointed out by me on numerous occasions—that the organised vote that carried the decision to bring this dairy control measure into being, will be still more strongly organised to •procure office for its promoters. But you will not, Sir, 1 trust, refuse us the information necessary to enable an intelligent vote to be recorded. One of your correspondents has asked for Mr Waite’s record of management, successful or otherwise. I would like some information about liis colleagues in nomination on tho “ticket.” Who, lor instance, is Mr John Fisher? i am informed that he was a conspicuous figure in the J. G. Ward Farmers’ Company. If that is so, I submit that it is information of interest to those whose business interests are to be handed over to the absolute control of this board. We are equally in the dark in regard to the whole personnel of the “ticket,” and we look to you, Sir, for the information that is otherwise unobtainable. Your correspondent, Mr Macaulay, asked for information as to the authority of those who had nominated the “ticket.'-’ Instead of information, he is treated to abuse and innuendo. As ono cf tho opponents of this un-English and tyrannical measure, I repudiate with scorn and contempt the suggestion that I, mysalf, and those associated with mo in opposition to the measure, have been in collusion with, or influenced, wittingly, or unwittingly, in the slightest degree by the proprietary interests or their agents. Moreover, I have no hesitation in stating that this cry of proprietary interests, and their opposition to the Bill and alleged influencing the dairy farmer was part and parcel of a deliberately designed and unscrupulous plan of campaign in support of the Bill. Not a man was approached by the proprietary concerns, whilst thousands were circularised by the promoters of the measure. I have questioned dozens of dairy fanners and cream sellers from Otautau, in the south, and from Cromwell to Waimate, and the answer has been “No” when they have been asked if anyone had tried to influence their vote against the Bill. The Prim© Minister pledged his word that the Bill should not become law unless tho dairy farmers were unanimous. His word of honour is “Mud.” The Minister of Agriculture pledged his honour that the dairy farmers should have lull opportunity to nominate good men. The absolutely shameful haste of the nominations and election shows the value that was to be attached to that promise.—I am, etc.,

, W. D. Alason. Middlemarch, November 6.