WORLD FARMING FEDERATION

Chronicle (Levin), 28 May 1946, Page 5

WORLD FARMING FEDERATION

MEASURE OF AGREEMENT AT LONDON CONFERENCE Received Mondav, 7.30 p.m. LONDON, May 26. Wlien tlie conference of world agricultural producers at present in session at Churcli House, Westminster, ad journed at tlie weekend a substantial measure of agreement liad been reached by the four committees engaged in haiiiniering out the details of the organisation of tlie proposed World Federation of Farmers, which is the chief objective of the conference. Complete agreement upon details is I not to be expected, and -the cliief work j 0Jf the constitution eommit-tee headedl by Mr. J. Iv. lvnowles, United Ivingdom, j is to reconcile diflierences of opinion j upon the precise nature and objoctives of the federation. The liiajority of ' opinion appears at present to favour a ! "loose" organisa tion which will pre- j serve for members liberty of individual j action ratlier than a ' ' tiglvt ' ' constitu--j tion which will be able to conunit all members to policies agreed upon by the niajority voting. The British delegation which is the framer of the original constitution proposals, favours the second alternative but a nuniber of j other delegations, among which are the ! Aniericans and New Zealanders, support ' a looser federation. Lnvolvod with this i is the cpiestion of voting power — i whether the Federation should operate | on the principle of oue country — one j vote or upon a voting power proportion- j al to the export value of produce. A I uumber of countries attending the conference are small exporters and naturallv there is some discussion upon their •rights to exereise equal voting power witli larger exporting countries. The New Zealauders are also anxious, as ex- i piessed in an amendment moved by j Mr. Mulhollaud to the original draft! constitution, to prevent the Federation becoining a mere instruiiient to any ■ Government organisarion. Both Mr. : Mulholland and Alr. Holvoake insisted that New Zealand farmers wanted freedom from iimiecessarv restrictions and above all, didn't consider the limitation of production an efiiective remedy for the world's shortages. This did not - imply any unwilliiigness to cooperate and assist for already there was gen- j eral recognition by the conference for j the necessitv of concerted world measures to deal with the present food situ- i ation and further problems of primary j producers.

One important decision vas a reeom- j nieiidation to the cooperation comm.it- \ tee that it was desirable to form with- j in the Federation, a departnient respon- \ sible for coordinating tlie poliey for; the agricultural cooperative inovement i throughout the world. Tlie exterual re- i lalions and publicitv committee, under j the chairmanship of Mr. G. II. Grigg ! (New Zealand), will recommend tlie! setting up of an information service to j assist farmers and member countries. | Under the chairmanship of Bardar ! Halubullah Kham (India), another j committee is studying nutritional prob- . lems. Sir Johu Boyd Orr has cabled his in- ) ten tion of addressing the conference this week. As the deliberations proceed the eon- 1 ference is liaving the benefit of a great deal of expei't and political adyice. Members liave already been addressedbv Mr. Bevin, Mr. Tohi JVilliams, L'ord llorder, Professor A. W Ashby (Director of Agricultural Economics, Oxford),' and Mr. A. L. Louwes representing tiir John Boyd Orr. A party of delegates including Mr. Holvoake and Mr. Oookslev, was also entertained by Mr. Walter Elliott while several New Zealauders attended the reception by the Worshipful Companv of Butchers wherc Bir Johu Anderson was the sjieaker. On Sundav thev attended service at Kouthwell Cathedral. This evening the Royal Agricultural Society, of which Lord Bledisloe is chairman, will give a reception to the delegates. Lord Bledisloe attended the ofticial reception to the delegates at tlie Savoy Hotel last week and before dinner was photographed with the New Zealauders.