THE COMPULSION PRINCIPLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1926, Page 8

THE COMPULSION PRINCIPLE.

Though the motion carried by the dairymen at New Plymouth on Friday, calling on the Government to cancel the compulsory powers given to the Dairy Control Board cannot be expected to have any immediate effect, yet its passing by practically a unanimous vote will show the Government, and the Dominion as a whole, that there exists a considerable—and growing—-body of opinion which is uncompromisingly opposed to the principle of compulsion, and which will continue to attack it until it is removed from the Statute Book. The various speakers did not mince matters in their criticism of the Government for giving the board sueli socialistic and un. constitutional powers, nor the board, whose policy they regarded as directly responsible for the present unhappy plight of dairymen in regard to pay ments for butter-fat. It must be admitted that they had good ground for their criticism and statements, and in drawing attention to the harmful results arising from conferring compulsory powers upon the board the Free Market, ing League is rendering the Dominion a considerable service. For undoubtedly if that obnoxious power is allowed to remain, it is certain that it will be extended by future Governments in other directions, and gravely imperil the rights and freedom of the people and lead to their becoming mere dependents upon the caprice of their bureaucratic masters. No other part of the Empire has ever gone so far in restricting the rights of the people, and it was no exaggeration on the part of some of the speakers to say that the Government had, in this matter of compulsory control, shamefully betrayed the dairymen of the country, and would have to accept the consequences of its ill-advised action. By now the Prime Minister will probably have realised the mistake, for he seems to have been busily engaged since his arrival in London in endeavouring to put things right, and bringing the parties together with a view to arriving at an acceptable working basis, but the weakness is fundamental and until it is removed satisfactory relations between exporters and importers cannot permanently be renewed. It has to be remembered that the opposition to the board’s policy is not confined to the merchants. It has spread to both retailers and consumers. Recent extracts from English papers recently published have demonstrated this. Some of the retailors have gone the length of exhibitisg placards in their windows stating: “We do not handle or sell New Zealand controlled butter.” The board has played right into the hands of our competitors, at a time, too, when the greatest circumspection in regard to making any alteration in marketing methods was necessary, and they are benefiting at the expense of the New Zealand producer. Had the board felt its way before introducing compulsory control it would never have lost the goodwill of merchants, retailers and customers, and dairymen to-day would prob, ably have been in receipt of 25 per cent, more in the way of pay-out. But, no; the board, in its arrogance and ignorance, rushed in and thought to dominate the situation and coerce the distributors, who simply sat back, ignored New Zealand produce, and bought from .competitors, whose butter to-day is. consequently fetching better prices than ever before, whilst ours is, for this time of the year, at an almost unprecedented low level. There has certainly been an improvement in the position during the past few days, aud it is to be hoped it will be sustained, but it is really with the future more than the present one has to be concerned. We occupied almost a favoured position on the butter market prior to the advent of control.

That position can only be regained through the co-operation of the importers. Whilst the board retains the power of control and the right to the last word in fixing the price, it will be very difficult to re-establish the former happy and profitable relationship. So that, apart from any other consideration, it is highly desirable that the power of compulsory control should be withdrawn at the first opportunity, a power which the board has shown itself unfit to use or possess, and would never have been given had wiser counsels prevailed with our legislators at the time of its enactment.