FARMERS' "OCTOPUS"

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 45, 6 December 1929, Page 5

FARMERS' "OCTOPUS"

MEAT BOMD_ ATTACKED 1R DICKIE'S OBSERVATIONS HAWEEA, dec. 5. "The Meat Export Board is simply an octopus feeding upon the farmers. . It collects a lot of money but does little beyond a small amount of advertising." This statement was made by Mr C. D. Dickie, chairman of the Patea Freezing Company and a member of, the South Taranaki provincial executive of the Fanrters' TJnion, when speaking at a meeting of that body this morning.

"The Board is run by a few Canterbury sheep farmers and Canterbury A. and P. Association officials, "he added. "It has an office in Wellington,, wkich serves little purpose beyond the issue of a few statistics that are valueless to producers here, but which might .possibly be of some interest to Borne buyers. The board is not to touch with the meat producers' interests as is the Dairy Board with dairy farmers' matters and its constitution seems only a good opportunity for a few to draw-big salaries and fees out of the £35,000 the boa o receives in levies.'' Vr Dickie sail that the Meat Board had purchased a site for cool stores in a useless position on the -wrong side of the Thames an amount of £30,000 having been squandered upon it. Tnere wZi an expensive office at Home which sent over a few cables containing information that could be obtained from the blackboards at Smithfie.-d .market any Friday. Ho had made a study of the board's activities during his recent irip Home, and based his commen:a upon his observations, Mr Dickie a resolution that .no executive w&s opposed to the formation of a Woo' Board along the lines of the Meat B.»ard. as suggested by the Farmers' Cuioo Dominion Executive. The motion was carried unanimously.