FARMING COMMUNITY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 27, 3 February 1939, Page 6

FARMING COMMUNITY

CONCILIATION COMMISSIONER’S COMMENT "IRRESPONSIBLE,” SAYS MR. A. P. O’SHEA 1 Pei Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Feb. 2. Strong exception was taken by Mr. A. P. O’Shea, Dominion secretary of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, to the statements of Mr. M. J. Reardon, Conciliation Commissioner, in the freezing workers’ dispute on Tuesday. Mr. Reardon was reported to have said that he did not feel there was any need to shed tears over the misfortunes of farmers, and that it had to be borne in mind that the meat export industry was worth between £12,000.000 and £14,000,000 annually. The total value of the industry, Mr. O'Shea said, had nothing to do with its ability to stand increased costs, and it was amazing to find a man who was in what was tantamount to a judicial position making such irresponsible statements. In view of the fact that farmers and the Sheep Owners' Federation had just interviewed' the Prime Minister and other Ministers in regard to the serious position of sheep farmers in second and third-class country, and that after that interview Mr. Savage and the other Ministers made it quite clear that they were fully seized of the seriousness of the

position and had promised an impartial inquiry, it would be interesting to discover the views of the Government in regard to Mr. Reardon’s statement.