FARMERS’ FEDERATION

Wanganui Chronicle, 25 February 1947, Page 4

FARMERS’ FEDERATION

meat producers want COMPENSATION "That we protest against any profh! d VTr our meat Cein S P aid into tne Stabilisation Account until producers have been adequately compensated for rising E osts," was a remit wmeh the Meat and Wool Produce Section of the Wellington Central Provincial Executive of Federated rarmers passed at a meeting in Marton. Mr. D. G. Gordon, Taihape, stressed mat produers were running about 12 months behind rising costs and stated mat moat prices were adjusted on the past season’s costs. He considered meat producers were entitled to have prices for meat reviewed at once. The chairman, Mr. L. Hammond, said it looked as if there would have to be another rise in meat prices if producers were to be fully protected against rising costs. He added that as the Federation of Labour was seeking a general wage increase, producers should press «ow for a review of all meat prices. WATER FOR STOCK AT TRUCKING YARDS The importance of a supply of water for stock being available at railway trucking yards was stressed by Mr. J. McKnight, Ohingaiti. He declared that during the recent hot spell thousands of sheep suffered through the absence of water at railway trucking .yards, and that the Ohingaiti Station was a glaring example. Once there was ample water at this station but for some reason, the water supply plant, had been dismantled and there was now no water for stock. Distiict clients who had purchased .keep in ins area hud suffered severe losses during the hot spell through lack of water al Ohingaiti Station. There was also the matter of the Railway Department’s failure to expedite Hie passage of sheep over long jour- i neys, he said. He knew of one mob which had been trucked from Waikato. The train had been halved, the first portion arrived within 1G hours of being trucked, but the second portion took 48 hours on thc journey. The sheep had suffered through lack of water and to make matters j worse, when they arrived at a station for un-trucking there was no water. I

the meeting agreed that representations should be made to the Railways Deparjment to ensure that there was ample water for stock at all trucking yards. THE MEAT BOARDS

Endorsement of a remit favouring the election of the Meat Board in the ward system and the Meat Board being ultimately responsible to the Dominion Council Meat and Woo] Produce Section of Federated Farmers, was given by the meeting. “I feel that the Meat Board should be the servant of the Meat and Wool Produce Section of Federated Farmers,” said the chairman, Mr. L. Hammond. A member of the Electoral Committee of the Meat Board, Mr. D. G. Gordon, said he considered it quite sound to relate the Meat Board to the Meat and Produce Section, but the method of electing the Meat Board appeared controversial.

The proposals of the Auckland Province for an enquiry into meat matters was the outcome of the Electoral Committee election in Auckland last year, commented the chairman. It was suggested there that vested interests controlled the election and defeated co-operative meat interests. Something similar happened in South-* land and in both areas the elections were conducted in opposition to cooperative interests. EVILS WOULD DISAPPEAR He questioned whether the proposed enquiry would help the present position and declared that many present evils would disappear if the Meat and Wool Produce Section of Federated Farmers controlled the position. Mr. Gordon, stated that at the September conference of Federated Farmers, the Auckland delegates did not glue much information, but he gathered that vested interests were not only working against co-operative ones but the feeling was that they were working for the control of the Meat Board. Auckland delegates appeared concerned over the situation and had therefore moved for an enquiry into the whole of thc meat position.

Mr. Gordon's motion that the proposal be given support was seconded by Mr. 11. A. Stewart.