THE MEAT POOL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18439, 24 March 1922, Page 5

THE MEAT POOL.

APPOINTMENT OF CONTROL BOARD. EXCEPTION TO METHOD ADOPTED. The executive of the Farmers’ Union discussed the Meat Pool. Tlie election of tire Meat Export Board was warmly criticised. The president pleaded for patience in order that the Board might have a fair opportunity to prove itself. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 23. Reference to the Meat Pool Board was made by W. J. Polson (chairman) at a meeting of the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at Wellington to-day. The Meat Export Control Board had been appointed and begun its labours since the last meeting of the Executive, and he was sure they all wished it would be a complete and triumphant success. Great responsibility was thrown on the Board by the Act. It could compel all meat in New Zealand to be compulsorily pooled or not, just as it liked. He knew many producers were dissatisfied, feeling that too great a responsibility was thrown on the Board. In view of the almost unanimous mandate from the Producers’ Conference favouring compulsion, and earlier statements by the responsible politicians, many producers thought the Act should not have left *he matter in doubt, but the board had. power and no doubt would use it as soon as it was ready. They must have patience, knowing there was much preliminary work to overcome. At the same time, he realised that nothing but compulsion would do.

Mr W. G. Leadley (Ashburton) called attention to a Press message stating that following on an expressed desire of the meat producers that the export levy on meat should be borne by them. At Addington the previous day fat stock auctioneers announced that all bids for fat stock for export would be subject to deduction of tax in accordance with notices from the exporters, and that the sale hadi proceeded on those lines. That, commented Mr. Leadley, was allowing them to get the thin end of the wedge in. The lesult would be that the levy would fall upon the farmers. He held that shippers should pay.

Mr. G. L. Marshall (Marton) remarked that what had been done was fttire camouflage in order to create a feeling against the Meat Pool, but there was no question that, whatever was done, the farmer would have to pay the levy every time. Mr. Leadley said that the amount of the levy (Id per carcase) was insignificant. It was the principle that was objected to. Mr. R. D. Duffield (Horotui) stated that freezing companys were objecting to pay back levy, but not to paying it for the future. The chairman said that the matter was very simple. The exporter would have to pay on export. He was deducting a penny from the farmer to make sure of it.

Mr. C. Smith (Wanganui) expressed the opinion that the penny should not be paid at the saleyard, because a lamb, for Instance, might be sold again and again before it was exported. He thought that the levy should be paid on export. Mr. Leadley stated that the Meat Pool was not yet in operation. The Board was not yet handling any meat, but export buyers were already demanding this penny. The contmonsense thing, he contended, was for the man whose meat was being dealt with to be charged with the penny.

Mr. Duffield held that the Meat 'Control Board, including two Government representatives, a stock and station agents’ representative, and with one gentleman (Mr Grigg) on it who had expressed himself as absolutely hostile to the Pool, was not properly representative of the producers. They had been told the producers would be given a say in the election of the Board, but the matter had been rushed on them. Feeling in Auckland was that the Board had practically been nominated by the Government, and they had not the confidence in the Board that they would have had if it had been elected by the producers’ vote on the lines suggested. The Government had a controlling influence on the Board, although Mr Massey had laid it down that there would be no doubt about it that the producers would have control. The farmers iu his district had understood that this was only to be a temporary Board—that the permanent Board was to be elected as soon as possible. The chairman. —There is to be an election. Capt. Colbeck (Auckland). —Yes, in two years’ time, but two years is far too long for a Board to be in existence that we know nothing about. Mr J. H. Joll (Hastings) contended that the Pool should be made compulsory. He admitted that the Pool had already done wonders by raising values, but did they think that he was going to put his meat through the Pool when he knew that other people had the privilege of doing otherwise? He urged that the Executive should take a strong stand for compulsion. Mr G. L. Marshall (Marton) thought that the constitution of the Board was very satisfactory. It was composed of good level-headed men, though perhaps not elected in the best way. The Board had not started operations yet. They should give it time to show what it was going to do. and a chance to prove itself. Mr. Duffield moved a resolution to the effect that the Executive took exception to the manner in which the Board had been set up, and held the

opinion that the producers should have full representation on the Board. The chairman urged that it would be very inadvisable to pass such a resolution now, even if they agreed with it. It would not be giving the Board a fair deal. Air Duffield said he was not objecting to the personnel of the Board, but to the way in which the appointments had been made. They had I been gitfen to understand that the Board was to be elected by vote of the producers, that this Board was to be set up only for a short time, (hear, hear) and that then the producers would elect a permanent Board, each district voting according to the number of sheep it had. Air Leadley said that the feeling existed down South that the election had been hastened, tha* it was a Massey Board, a Government Board. They iiad been under the impression that this was to be only a temporary Board, that the producers were to elect a permanent board, but that, of course, had not been done. Air W. B. Mathieson (Eketahuna) agreed with tl»e chairman that they should give the Board ti.n® and not go back now to the method of appointment. Mr. Joll said he understood that everybody was satisfied with the personnel of the Board. Its members were men in whom they had confidence. He suggested that they should therefore waive the question of the method of their appointment and leave the matter as it stood. This closed the discussion.

PROTEST AGAINST ADDINGTOM AUCTIONEERS’ ACTION (Per Press Association.) HAWERA, March 23. Tn connection with auctioneer® collecting tax at Addington, Mr. G. V. Pearce telegraphed Mr. David Jones, chairman of the Meat Pool Board, as follows: Urge the Board to strongly protest against the action of the auctioneers at Addington deducting export license levy. This was evidently done to prejudice against the Board.