"GLARING CASE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 224, 20 September 1940, Page 4

"GLARING CASE."

FARM RESTRICTIONS. STATEMENT BY MR. DOIDGE. TAURANGA, this day. During the course of a mass meeting of farmers at Matamata on Wednesday evening, called to consider the problem of increased production, a good many farmers complained that Departmental restrictions represented a very considerable obstacle in the way of production. Mr. F. W. Doidge, M.P., replied to many questions bearing on the matter of such restrictions, ami said that there had been . a recent glaring case. "Just before I left Wellington at the end of the session," said Mr. Doidge, "a farmer in Southland telephoned through to Wellington, and this was his story: 'I am 60 years of age,' said the Southland farmer. 'My daughter is married, and my son in hospital with rheumatic fever. Without assistance I was unable to carry on, and therefore decided to sell my herd. I communicated with a firm of auctioneers, who accordingly advertised the herd for sale. Xo sooner had the advertisement appeared when a Government official went to the auctioneer and asked by whose authority he advertised the herd for sale. The auctioneer replied that it was done oti the authority of the owner. 'That is not enough, , said the official. 'You have to obtain a Government permit before you can sell anybody's dairy herd.'' "With several of my colleagues still in Wellington I went to see the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin," added Mr. Doidge, '"and to our surprise the Minister declared that the Government official had acted quite rightly. An Order-in-Council had just been issued which said it made it impossible for any owner who supplied a cheese factory to dispose of his dairy cows without a Government permit. We carried the matter to the War Cabinet," said Mr. Doidge, "and this morning, after telephoning Wellington to find out the position, I am glad to be able to tell you that I have been informed that the Order-in-Council will not continue to operate. I am bound to add, however, that it has not been annulled."