DAIRY LEGISLATION

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1934, Page 16

DAIRY LEGISLATION

"SAVOURS OF DICTATORSHIP.”

MR. WILKINSON’S CRITICISM

“You know the Government has power to appoint three men along with the Min-; ister to take complete control of the produce of New Zealand,” said Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., when addressing a meeting of Eltham farmers. “Where we are getting to I don’t know. It savours of dictatorship and is contrary to our previous ideas that we can run our own business. I must admit that trade is getting into the hands of governments all over the world.” Mr. Wilkinson explained that he had opposed the setting up of the Executive Commission of Agriculture for a period of five years without the right of recall. He objected to the surrender of the right to change these dictatorial powers. A voice: But a new Government could alter it.

Mr. Wilkinson explained that this would be very difficult as the commissioners would have a contract for five years and it would involve the'breaking of a contract. It was a most dangerous principle to appoint servants for five years.

Another point was that there was no provision made to prevent the men employed as commissioners from engaging in the same form of business as that for which they were to be engaged. Mr. Wilkinson said he had moved an amendment to prevent the commissioners giving their time to anything but the work of the producers, and if they did not do the work satisfactorily they should be “sacked.” As it was they might easily be the directors of a marketing organisation in opposition to the producers. The Dairy Bill gave the Government, through its nominees, control over the whole of the produce of New Zealand. This was a revolutionary change and there had been nothing like it before. The Bill was put through in the dying hours of the session when the House was so tired that it was useless to ask members to vote on any other questions. The Labour Party held up the Bill as far as it could and Mr. Wilkinson and other Independents joined in asking for further time for its consideration, but they were defeated. This evil state of affairs was due to the system of party politics. A number of men would never have voted for the Bill if they had been free. “Your president voted for the Bill and agginst it,” said Air. Wilkinson. “He voted for Mr. Savage’s amendment that the Bill be not read the second time, and when it came to the third reading he voted for it.”

It might be all right if the Government gave farmers relief and then said “Hand your business to us,” but it was putting the cart before the horse to say “Hand your business over to us first and we will see about relief later on.”