MILK STATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27507, 29 September 1950, Page 8

MILK STATION

Future Control . DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER A strong deputation from the Dunedin Metropolitan Milk Board is to be sent to Wellington to wait on the Prime Minister, Mr Holland, the Minister of Marketing, Mr Holyoake, and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Marketing, Mr S. W. Smith, on the subject of the control of the Dunedin milk treatment station. This decision was made last night. The chairman, Mr W. B. Taverner, Mrs E. E. S. Reeves, and Messrs J. G. Barnes and E. J. Smith were suggested as members of the deputation. The decision followed a long discussion by the board, during which some forthright opinions were expressed by members on published reports of parliamentary debates and letters to the board from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary. Moving that a deputation should be sent to Wellington, Mr J. G. Barnes said it was surprising that promises made to the board had not been carried out. The board represented 89,000 consumers, yet it appeared that the Government was prepared to have producer control of the station. The time had come when the Prime Minister shoqld be acquainted with the f ac ts. The chairman, Mr W. B. Taverner, said that a letter had been sent to Mr Holland, but he did not appear to be taking much interest in the matter. Mr N. D. Anderson claimed that Mr Smith had not treated the board with the courtesy it deserved, and added that there was something going on behind the scenes which Mr Smith had not made public. Neither the board nor the consumers wished to be dictated to in this matter. “Mr Smith appeared to be only wasting public money by coming to Dunedin. It seemed that the whole scheme was ‘ cut and dried ’ before he came,” said Mr N. H. Shepherd. “We represent nearly 100,000 consumers, and I think we have been treated shabbily.” , , Mr Taverner said that the board had carried out its duties scrupulously, but it now appeared that there had been a change in Government policy. The board was willing to take control of the station, and this could not be faulted by Mr Smith or anyone else. It would appear that the Minister of Marketing intended to take powers which were not.givfen him under the Milk Act, but there was no indication that the Act was to be altered to allow him to do so. Mr Taverner said that he regretted having to criticise the Government of the day, but the board should speak its mind on the matter. If the Prime Minister proposed any conciliatory action, it was time he took it. The board had before it a minute by the secretary, Mr A. E. .Russell, which he suggested should be sent as a reply to a letter from Mr Smith. The minute, which was approved in principle, stated that the Milk Act in its present form did not give the Government, as owners of the treatment station, the power to sell it to producers without the approval of the Milk Board. He was of the opinion that the board should now advise Mr Smith, since he had indicated that the proposal for joint control of the station by the producers and the board (representing consumers) had lapsed, that the board reaffirmed its view that the control' of the station should be vested in the board as provided for in the Milk Act, and that the board was willing to accept the > control and management of the station. After further discussion the board decided to take action as indicated. Others present were—Dr G. O. L. Dempster and Messrs N. D. Anderson. T. McAhn and D. Rose.