Mr. O'Shea Resigns From Hides Committee

Chronicle (Levin), 11 February 1948, Page 2

Mr. O'Shea Resigns From Hides Committee

WELLINGTON, Feb. 10. Mr. A. P. O'Sliea, eliairmaii of tne hides committee, has sent liis resignation from membersliip of the committee to the Minister» of Marketing, Mr. Cullen. He asl>sd that it take effeet as from March 31. Mr. O 'Shea. wlio is secretarv ot Federated Farmers, in a letter to the Alinister, said Federated Farmers had passed a resolution to the effeet that the operations of the hides committee should be terminated. f'It is not generally realised," said Mr. O'Shea, "that the hides committee is purelv an administrative body which carried out tv poliev in which it was fundamental that the persons administering the policy sh'ould at least be able to take a detaclied and neutral view in regard to policy, even if they are not fnlly in sympathy with it. You will realise that such. an attitude is impossible for me and, in addition, I have been of the opinion for a consxderaoie time that the price in New Zealand for hides is too low ixx relation to other 'prices. You will see, therefore, tlxat 1 have no option but to withdraw from the conxxxxittee. "I feel it is opportune at this tixne to point out that the initiation of the schexne was due to the Farmei's' Union and tlxat during the war period it functioxxed. with eonspicuous suecess. It has been stated by people fronx outside the Dominion that'- our hides control scheme fuixctioned-hxore ecoxxomically " axid' successfnlly and with less -friction and disruptioh to normal trading and manuf aeture, . than any other .similar scheme in the British Empire. .Also the operation of the selxeme has meant -that the producers of the Dorninion received over £1,000,000 more than tlxey would have received had the original scheme propounded by the Governxnent and favonred by certain other interests at the tinxe of the negotiations in 1939, been in operation." The resignation was reported this week to a meeting of the hides committee at which Mr. O '-Shea was asked to witlxhold it until Maroh 31 to enable the whole position to be examixxed by all iixterests yoncerixed, This Mr. O 'Slxea agreed to do.