PRODUCTION COUNCILS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 83, 22 June 1943, Page 8

PRODUCTION COUNCILS

CRITICISM AND SUPPORT

DISCUSSION BY FARMERS

The constitution of Primary Production Councils was. the subject of a lengthy debate at the Auckland Provincial Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union on May 27. The following remit from the Bay of Plenty was moved by Mr R. W. Dunning:— •'This meeting of farmers has no confidence in the Primary Production Councils as at present constituted, and considers that they are more liable to reduce production. Any such body should he set up by the Farmers' Union with full power tc discuss and recommend production, finance and distribution." The mover said that the Minister of Agriculture had stated that the councils had been created to carry cut the Government's policy whatever it might be. Now work had not been handled in a manner that v/ould inspire confidence. Mr H. C. McCready (Tancatua) said that the Councils were apparently becoming secret societies to a extent. It seemed that there was an attempt to cover up the manner in which they did their job cr tried to do it. The President (Captain H. M. Jiushworth) said that before coming to a decision they should consider whether any material advantage c'ould be gained by adopting an elective basis such as proposed. The Government said that the Councils were intended to implement its policy, blit it asked the Farmers' Union for nominees on a Council. The Councils were now serving a useful service and if they carried •what was requested in the remit they would have only a "half-pie" constitution which would really be throwing dust in the eyes of the Lulk of the people. The work of the Councils was of an extremely difficult nature, and he Avas thankful that the Farmers' Union had not teen landed with the job. Mr H.~ O. Meltlsop said, that the present Councils were composed mostly of. well-known farmers who •would not do anything contrary to Farmers' Union principles. The remit, was lost,