A WILD IDEA.

Wairarapa Age, 10 March 1923, Page 4

A WILD IDEA.

Those who heard Mr Davia Jones’s ad- ! dress on the meat pool are not likely to be disturbed by the vis ons of disaster which were conjured up by Mr H. t C. Thomsen in his letter in yesterday’- 1 “Age.” Mr Thomsen devotes his 1 whole letter to demonstrating that the ’ personnel of the Meat Control Board is at the disposal of the Government o 7 tho day, and that any member can K* removed by the Government at its ' own sweet will. This is, of course, a » (ridiculous suggestion. The Board con- I si sts of eight members. Of these two arc appointed by the Governor-General as representatives of the Government; live are appointed as representatives of the producers, and are elected by the producers; and the last may be ap pointed (optionally) by the GovernorGeneral as the represent; tive of the stock and station agents. Even wher-. the Government exercises rts power of appointing the last-named member, if is in a. minority of 3 to 5, and there fore cannot control the policy of the Board. That rests essentially with the .majority, who are elected by the producers. A majority of the Board may

at any time recommend to the Government that a particular member of the Board shall be removed, and the Gov eminent may act accordingly. But the majority consists of representatives elected by the producers, and it can surely be taken for grant ?d that they would not make such a recommenda tion unless it were in the distinct in terests of the producers. Even if a producers’ representative should die the Governor Gneral can only fill the vacancy on the recommendation of :■ majority, and that same majority h; jKiwcr to recommend the removal of the optional member which the Gov-ernor-General may appoint. The pro clueers have therefore complete author ity as regards the policy of the Board Mr Thomsen also asks farmers to take flight on the ground that “no matt< r how incompetent, or worst than incoiu point, a member is, the fanners have no remedy against him.” But thu; statement is equally wide of the facts. The producers’ 'representatives are elected by the farmers in the firsi place. They must come up for re election every two years; and if one ot them should go mad or commit any of the grave offences that Mr Thomsen fears, a majority on the board has the power of recommending his removal, which would undoubted!v bo acceded to. Mr Thomsen's fears are a mere mare’.-’ nest.