CONTROL.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1931, Page 13

CONTROL.

(To the Editor). i . Sir,—Some time back control over handling, sale, etc., of all honey for export was secured by a certain association of honey producers. Previously to that an association had been marketing New Zealand honey at Home, and I believe I am correct in saying that the result was a very considerable accumulation of liabilities, and that one of- the chief objects in obtaining control over all export honey was the power so to bo gained to levy on sales under control sums to liquidate the liabilities of past failures. Later, apparently as the results were less favourable than the promoters anticipated —as the sums paid out to producers after heavy deductions for payment of past debts and excessively heavy costs for administration, *otc., were so small as to threaten complete failure—an endeavour was made to ob-. tarn by agreement, practically under compulsion, complete control over all honey for local* sale also. This endeavour was thwarted for the time being, but now again has been revived.

It is understood a Bill is now before the House aiming at obtaining compulsory absolute control over honey for local sale and empowering the making of a per lb levy over all honey sold locally, to provide, among other things, the liquidation of losses over past operations., Very many producers have been .left quite in the dark as to the scheme and details of the Bill before the House. There exists a very -wide opposition (un-

. fortunately little .organised) to the idea of any measure of control or any interference with local sales, or any arbitIrary powers being given over their property. Especially is the proposal to pool proceeds of all local sales with those of exports objected to, for the reason that whilst avowedly an unduly high price would be extracted from the Dominion consumer under the monopoly so established, this higher return would not go to the producers for local sales, but be taken to level up the extremely low: net returns from sales of exported honey. The endeavour to obtain power over all honey producers by this arbitrary scheme

of absolute control is being made by a few, consisting of those interested in past disastrous operations. The following letter received by a producer some while ago is a good example of the sort of methods resorted to by those endeavouring to obtain control to enforce support of their schemes: 4 National Beekeepers’ Association of New Zealand, South Canterbury Branch. • Dear Sir, —According to Bray’s Journal, ‘‘The Honey Producer,” you refuse to sign local'market agreement. Cutthroat competition is just commercial warfare or individualism run mad, but you evidently believe in it! Well, sir, what is to prevent us from dumping honey on your 10ca1,., market and cutting your prices ? One of my neighbours sends his all the way to Auckland. It is much appreciated there. We can produce as good a sample as any other part of , New Zealand. It is necessary for you * to be stung by your fellow beekeepers to learn that your attitude is utterly short-sighted and selfish, and in the end may well prove suicidal. Can’t we learn anything from our late enemies? It took the Allies four years to smash the Germans, the most efficiently organised nation in Europe, and they are rapidly regaining their commercial supremacy to-day, simply by that capacity of theirs for organisation. Can’t we learn any tiling from our fellow beekeepers in Australia? We have shown them a model in our H.P.A., and they have gone one better and organised their local market. Are we going to lag behind them? Can’t we learn anything from bees? These communities where everything is subordinated to the welfare of the whole. I hope I am quite wrong in what I have said.' I hope by this time you have had the wisdom to realise our foolish lack of system, in which case, of course, I withdraw what I have writ- ' ten and apologise. In case you have not already signed I am sending you an agreement to save you the trouble i of applying for one.—Yours faithfully, (Signed) C. Unwin, secretary. United we stand, but divided we fall.” As methods even such as the foregoing letter failed to secure sufficient support Parliamentary powers are now sought.—l am, etc.,

ANTI-CONTROL.