DAIRY FACTORIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23351, 17 November 1937, Page 9

DAIRY FACTORIES

THE ZONING SCHEME SUPPLIERS DISSATISFIED COMMISSION OF AGRICULTURE CRITICISED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON. Nov. 16. The actions of the Executive Commission of Agriculture in zoning the suppliers of certain factories were the subject of a certain amount of criticism during the discussion on the Estimates of the Agriculture Department in the House of Representatives to-day. The matter was raised by Mr T. D. Burnett (Opposition, Temuka), who said considerable dissatisfaction had been caused by the zoning arrangements in the Ashburton district. Suppliers to dairy factories which were closed down suffered a distinct disadvantage. "I want to support the protest made by the member for Temuka," said Mr S. G. Smith (Opposition, New Plymouth). "There is dissatisfaction and alarm in various parts of the country." The Minister of Agriculture (Mr W. Lee Martin): I have not heard of it.

" The dissatisfaction is there," said Mr Smith. " This Government cannot stand criticism, so it attempts to stifle it. By doing that it merely drives the criticism underground. If the Minister went out round the country instead of sitting in his office he would soon hear of these complaints." The Minister: And you would be the first one to complain about my travelling expenses. " I have never complained about a Minister going out round the country to find out things for himself," Mr Smith said. "The trouble is that most Ministers stick to their rooms and listen to the views only of their officers and people on their own side."