DAIRY CONTROL BOARD

Southland Times, Issue 19100, 19 November 1923, Page 5

DAIRY CONTROL BOARD

THE COMING ELECTION . NOMINATION OF SOUTHLAND CANDIDATES MR J. J. FISHER SECURES LARGE MAJORITY. A large meeting of dairymen held in the Y.M.C.A. .on Saturday morning endorsed the candidature of Mr J. J. Fisher as the Southland nomination for the Dairy Control Board by an overwhelming majority. Mr W. Hamilton, chairman of the Awarua Factory directors, presided over an attendance of about a hundred, and in opening the meeting, said it had been called to obtain the feeling of the producers with regard to the nomination of a candidate for the Dairy Control Board. “I have much pleasure in nominating Mr J. J. Fisher,” said Mr John Caird, “as our representative for the election.” He said they all knew Mr Fisher’s ability and he had a gcod commercial training. Mr Fisher was a fit and proper man to represent Southland on the Board. They all knew where Mr Fisher stood, and he had been foremost in the campaign for the Bill. “I move that Mr J. J. Fisher’s name go forward as the Southland nominee,” he concluded. “If we split our vote we might be left without a representative.” “With the authority of the Southland Branch of the Farmers’ Union,” said Mr Peter Arnott, “I will second Mr Fisher's nomination. I have known Mr Fisher for 14 years, and during that time he has been actively associated with the industry. He is the most capable man amongst us to represent Southland on the Board. We should promise Mr Fisher that he will have the backing of this meeting if selected.” “To set the ball moving,” said Mr J. Bourchier, “I will nominate Mr Robert McBride as our representative. Mr R. Simpson seconded Mr Mcßride’s nomination, saying that he was a big dairyman and capable of filling the position.

The chairman: We want to hear the views of everyone. That is what the meeting was called for. “The recent conference in Wellington, * said Mr J. S. Grieve, “was composed of those members of the Hairy Council who were in favour of the Bill. Out of the 30 members of the Council only three were opposed to control, and no notice was sent them as the Council had passed out of existence with the carrying of the Bill. At that meeting it was thought advisable to place a ticket before the suppliers and those members of the old council selected the candidates. The three men nominated for the South Island were approved by the North Island members and the N.Z. Executive of the Farmers’ Union.

Mr Bourchier: Why were the other three members not asked to the conference? Mr Grieve: Because one time they were supporters of control, but had recently altered their views. What we wanted at the present time was loyalty to the Bill and these men had not been loyal. That was why they were not notified.— (Applause). Mr R. Arnott said he was a personal friend of Mr Mcßride’s, but he could not support his nomination as he was an out-and-out opponent of the Bill. “We want men on the Board,” he continued, “whe are wholehearted in their support of the Bill. Our opponents are out to get as many men on the board as possible in order that they will become passive resisters, and so kill the operations of the Bill.”

Another nominee, Mr J. Broom, was proposed by Mr W. Wilson, who said Mr Broom was a man with a good training. He had never definitely declared himself in public about the proposal, but he was. a supporter of the Bill. Mr A. S. Me Naught seconded Mr Broom’s nomination. “Mr Broom is well-known,” he said, “and for 10 or 12 years has acted as secretary to various factories. His work has always been well done and anytime I talked control to him he has always been in favour of it.”

“Personally, I have nothing against Mr Broom,” said Mr J. S. Grieve, "but two years ago Mr Broom spoke against the Meat Board. I cannot see how Mr Broom has altered his views.

A voice: Surely a man can change his opinions ?—(Applause I. “I was responsible for Mr Fisher’s nomination in Wellington,” said Mr Dunlop in reply to a taunt from Mr Bourchier, that the nominees of the council had axes to grind. “Mr Fisher never mentioned the Dairy Control Board to me at any time. If Mr Fisher had any axe to grind it was the dairyman’s axe.”—(Applause). The chairman: We should try to arrange for one man to represent the Southland producers and not split our votes. Mr J. S. Grieve: I would like to mention here that voters must leave three names on their voting papers, otherwise their vote will be informal. We should go for the ticket put up as we don’t want ony of the opposition candidates in if possible.

“Let us select our man first,” said Mr P. Arnott, “and then consider the ticket.” Mr Middleton said he would urge those people who had votes, and who were supporters of the Bill to be careful about putting up two candidates as it might split the votes. Canterbury and Otago had selected opposition candidates. A voice: Only Otago. Mr Middleton: I say both Otago and Canterbury. He went on to say that for Canterbury Mr 8. Smith had been nominated, and he was an opponent of the Bill It would be a foolish thing now to split on the choice of a representative. “I have known both Mr Broom and Mr Fisher for many years,” be concluded. “Mr Fisher has been in favour of control from the beginnig. Mr Broom would probably be loyal any mandate given him by the suppliers, but he had never definitely advocated the Bill.”

“There is* a danger,” said Mr Dunlop, “that by splitting our votes we will have no representative.”

Mr Bourchier: Why does the Bill not provide for nine wards? Mr Dunlop: Because Mr Bourchier" s friends objected to the original Bill, and made complications which resulted in the present system.

Mr J. R. Hamilton was nominated but declined to stand. “There seems to be a little confusion about the voting,” said Mr Fisher. “Southland has no right to its own representative, and the poll will be taken for the whole of the South Island. We cannot adopt the ward system now. I have never sought the position I am in, have always been an out-and-out supporter of the Bill. Not that I agree with it in its entirety, but we have got to work on the Bill as it now stands. If you required a manager for your business you would not select one who was antagonistic to your interests. We want to see the measure have a fair trial and we should put men there who will support it and give it a fair trial. If the 30 men sent to Wellington were not fit to decide who would sit on the Control Council, then who wm capable? Io the South Island there are 18,000 voters, 6000 of whom resided in Southland. It is just possible for a man not wanted to get in.”

The chairman then put the candidates* names to the meeting and Mr Fisher was selected by an overwhelming majority.

“Now that Mr Fisher has been endor— J ” said Mr A. Jones, “we should sink p. ,y differences and get our man in. We should now go further and support the ticket.” Mr R. Arnott then moved that this meeting support Mr Fisher and pledges itself to do all it can to get him returned. This was seconded by Mr John Caird, who said it was no use splitting hairs. They should drop party feeling and get Mr Fisher in.

This was carried on the voices as well as a resolution to support the Routh Island ticket.