MR. PATERSON RESIGNS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 14, 7 April 1927, Page 9

MR. PATERSON RESIGNS

DAIRY CONTROL BOARD HOSTILITY TO POLICY MR. WRIGHT’S APPOINTMENT By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright LONDON, Wednesday. Mr. Stronach Paterson has written to the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Sir James Parr, resigning his position as Government representative on the London Agency of the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board. In a covering letter Mr. Paterson says he discussed the matter fully with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr. J. G. Coates, in November. He quotes his letter tn Mr. Coates of November S, in which he suggested that the only course open to him to continue to work as opportunity might offer for such a modification of the machinery of control as might mitigate against the bad results he feared, and for breaking down the prevailing hostility to New Zealand dairy produce; also for the re-estab-lishment of the goodwill and co-opera-tion of all branches of the dairy produce trade in England. Mr. Coates had agreed to this. Mr. Paterson also quotes a letter he wrote to Mr. Coates on December 28, in which he said he was content to carry on his duties as long as he had Mr. Coates’ confidence. Of this Mr. Coates assured him, and expressed a wish that he should carry on, with the understanding that Mr. Paterson should continue the policy outlined on November 8. That policy had since been scrupulously followed. In December Mr. Paterson says he informed Mr. Coates that it would be impossible for him to carry on if Mr. J. B. Wright were appointed to the London agency. He fully explained his reasons for that. As Mr. Wright was now appointed from the date of the departure of Mr. lorns and Mr. Motion, toward the end of this month, Mr. Paterson asks Sir James Parr to convey to Mr. Coates his desire to resign his position forthwith.—A. and N.Z. Mr. Stronach Paterson was appointed New Zealand Government representative on the London Agency of the Dairy Produce Board in June, 1926. TRADERS ARE LEFT IN THE AIR awkwareTand risky (Special to THE SUN.) WELLINGTON, To-day. The resignation of Mr. Stronach Paterson as Government representative of the Dairy Board, has given the trade here much to think about. The question has been asked by those interested “Is the whole crew leaving the ship ?” One man interested discussed things to-day and said “It looks as if our trade at the other end is being left up in the air. Here we are with Mr. Irons and Mr. Motion ready to sail for New Zealand with Mr. Paterson resigned and with Mr. J. B. Wright in charge of things at Home. It is unbelievable that a great industry like ours could be left in sLich a position.” The resignation of Mr. Paterson occasioned no surprise here in view of the impending departure of two other members, because it is recognised that Mr. Paterson and Mr. Wright would not make a harmoniously working executive body. It is just a question now what step the authorities will take to have the Dominion’s dairy produce looked after. Mr. Goodfellow is now nearing Home and there is a belief in certain sections of the trade that he is anticipating removal of control at the end of the present season and will remain there to arrange for the marketing of the produce from his company in the North. Mr. Coates does not yet know what will be done about representation, but states that he might go into it later to-day or to-morrow. Meanwhile farmers in many parts of the North Island are writing to the centre of things at Wellington seeking interested representation at meetings so that they can gauge the nature of their own positions. Several big country commercial firms, who deal directly with farmers, are displaying concern over the repayment of farmers 7 accounts and in many cases have rationed supplies of goods on credit. This is regarded as somewhat serious for the small farmer who has to carry on. Private advice just received from London, written in February, predicted the crisis in April or May, when farmers realised the folly of carrying production into the period where it meets the maximum competition from other countries. This crisis, in the shape of the removal of price-fixing, occurred just a little earlier than was | predicted.