ATTACK ON CONTROL.

Waikato Times, Volume 101, Issue 16948, 10 November 1926, Page 8

ATTACK ON CONTROL.

WHAT IS BEHIND IT? MR PATERSON'S ATTITUDE. ASSAILED BY MR GOODFELLOW. Referring in an interview with a representative of the Waikato Times to the so-called Control Board disclosures, Mr Goodfellow slated that the city press quite overlooked the fact that the copies of all four cables placed before members of the Control Board at last meeting were of a confidential nature. Mr Tim-. pany had acquired no merit by discussing the board's private business, but was in fact deserving of severe censu.-e, which no doubt he would receive in 'due course. Indeed, under the circumstances, it would be quite reasonable for the board to ask the Government to remove Mr Timpany, or any other member .who acted in a similar manner. Referring to the attack on Mr J. B. Wright by Messrs Patcrson and lorns, Mr Goodfellow stated that the action of Mr lorns, inconsistent though it was, did not occasion any surprise in dairy circles. Mr lorns bad already developed the reputation of being a versatile individual. Mr Patcrson, being a director of A. S. Patcrson, however, should have known better, and it was little short of a scandal that a man in his position, appointed by the Government, and paid £IOOO by the producers, should condescend to make such au unfair, and altogether unjustifiable attack on the London manager of ihe'board. What we want, said Mr Goodfellow, is less Government interference, with the business of the Conrtol Board. . Mr Paterson's appointment has been most unfortunate, and any disinterested person acquainted with the facts would probably admit that ever since his appointment he had apparently set out to obstruct the board in London. His recent cable would appear another attempt in Ihe same direction. "Prior to his appointment, I was in almost daily touch with Mr J. B. Wright," said Mr Goodfellow, "for over four years, while he acted as manager of ( the New Zealand Co-op-erative Dairy Company, Ltd., and I say very emphatically that Mr Wright is not only a very able business man, but also one who holds Ihe absolute confidence of all those merchants with whom he has come in contact throughout Europe. He is a strong man of independent means, and the real reason for Mr Paterson's antagonism is doubtless due lo the cry of the speculator, and the small business firms, who will both sufrer considerable loss if Air J. B. Wright remains as London manager of the Control Board. It is undoubtedly due to the fact that he is eminently suited for the posilion that such strong exception has been taken to his appointment by interested parties." "A recent cable from London, continued Mr Goodfellow, "indicates that the dairy produce import merchants of London immediately complied with the Control Board's unanimous decision, and have appointed three of their number to form a joint committee with the London agency for the purpose of fixing the price of dairy produce from time to time." Despite the hostility of the New Zealand cily press, he said it was interesting to nolo further that the merchants had all accepted the Control Board's memorandum, selling oul the terms and conditions under which the produce was lo bo handled by Ihe agents in future. The London merchants were gelling on with Ihe job on Ihe lines laid down by the Control Board in New Zealand and as the export season was now in full swing, there was little or no likelihood of any further change in policy until the end of the.season. "It now transpires that Ihe deputation in London which waited on Mr Goates did not represent the 1% miport firms and that they had no business relations wilh Mr Wright—Mr Coates had not even met Mr Wright when ho sent his cable; he met Mr Wright for the first lime on November 8, whereas his cable was sent on October 27 —obviously another of Mr Paterson's little schemes that failed."