LEVY ON WOOL

Southland Times, Issue 22993, 12 September 1936, Page 11

LEVY ON WOOL

CONSTITUTION OF BOARD DISCUSSION OF VOTING POWER Voting power on the board to be set up to control the expenditure of money raised by the levy on wool was discussed at yesterday’s meeting of the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and mention was made of the possibility of a difference of opinion on the direction in which the greater bulk of the money should be spent —on propaganda or research. Mr E. K. Sim said he had attended a deputation from the New Zealand Farmers’ Union which had met the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, to the position. The union had felt some concern about possible voting powers on the board. The proposed constitution had been, he said, that the board should consist of four producers’ representatives, one Government nominee, one representative of the Department of Agriculture and another of the department dealing with research. If a Government chairman were to be appointed, his casting vote might have the effect of taking the voting strength away from the producers’ representatives. It _ was thought that there would be a difference of opinion on whether most of the money should go to research or propaganda. Most farmers thought it should be spent in propaganda to aid the sales of wool, and the deputation had been arranged so that their voting powers should be ascertained.

Although no definite promise had been made, the deputation had been given to understand that the two departmental representatives, although possessing a seat on' the board, would have no voting power, Mr Sim concluded.

The chairman, Mr J. Macdonald, reported that the same subject had been discussed at the annual meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society.