DAIRY INDUSTRY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 198, 10 November 1934, Page 5

DAIRY INDUSTRY

EMERGENCY POWERS BILL THE MEASURE PRAISED Press Association —Copyright Wellington, November 9. i The Agriculture Emergency Powers .Bill was further debated in the House this, afternoon.

| Mr. A. E. Jull (Co., Walpawa) ask- \ ; ed if it was intended that any mem- 'j | ber of the Meat Board, Dairy Board ' ! or other board might be qualified to j ! be a member of the agriculture com-, i ! mission. .. " j

Mr. J. A. Nash (Co., Palmerston) said it was a matter of necessity that members of the commission should devote their full time to the work. Messrs. Poison and Wilkinson also urged that, the commissioners should not hold other positions. Mr. Wilkinson said he would move an amendment in the direction of making members of the commission, except the Minister of Agriculture, devote their full time to their duty and providing that they should have no business on their own account or any interest in a business affected by the commission.

The Hon. C. E. Macmillan, Minister of Agriculture, said he could not accept Mr. Wilkinson's amendment, as it was too wide. He would rather restore the original clause and he was quite prepared to recommend that the House put that clause back. Mr. Nash said the original clause was' not wide enough, as a director of a dairy factory could be a member of the commission. Mr. Forbes said he knew of members of no board who put private business before that of the board. Mr. Langstone said there were Government directors on the Bank of New Zealand. Mr. Forbes denied that was so and said it would be suicidal for any member of the commission to retain interests in any concern affected by it Members would be too open to question and their bona fides would be open to question. If the Minister was out-voted or if the members of the commission abused their position and he reported to Cabinet their powers could be taken away by Or-der-in-Council, so the Minister was all-powerful. The short title Avas carried by 37 votes to 26. •

Mr. Mactnillan agreed to retain the original sub-elause six of clause three, with a consequential amendment exempting the Minister of Agriculture, and Mr. Wilkinson moved an amendment, as previously indicated, to that sub-clause. Mr." Wilkinson's amendment was lost by 35 votes to 27, and the original clause as amended was carried. On clause 13 Mr. Stallworthy moved to reduce the number of Government nominees on the Dairy Board to one instead of three. The amendment was lost by 54 votes to seven. The committee stages were completed and the Bill was read a third time and passed