LITTLE FOR COMPLAINT

Chronicle (Levin), 11 May 1949, Page 5

LITTLE FOR COMPLAINT

Press Association i '

r- ^ i'armers' Viewpoint On Stock Agency ConiSiission

(Per

WELLINGTON, May 11. . The sub'mission that as the s^ek and station ttgeney business .was. a yompetitive one aiid, as in the dast, the New Zealand 'Svock and Jtation Agents' Association had eeh wiliing to negotiate With iarmers' organisafiohs in tegard to a 1 charges this course shoul'd .130 .ollowed in the future was . made b'efore the PriCe Tfibuh'al today by Mr. A, P. O'Bhea, general secretary of Eederated Farmers. of New Zea•ahd. "We, therefore, urge ,the ribunal to direct that the fnethod of negotiation which has previpusjy obtained shou.d be alloWe'd to rule again in the future with the proviso, of course, that if We canaot agree the tribunal shou-d de^ 3ide the matter. We suggest that . .n view of the disclosures ih fegard to profits Which have been brought , about by this inquiry, it would ap'- • pear that the people of NeW Zea- . land -are being sad'dled with exces^ sive charges by mOnopo'y and . semi-monopoly undertakings." These were the conclusions in the submissions by Federated Farmers. Mr. O'Shea expiained that his statement consisted large- ' iy of general principles and a commentary on some of the . point? • advanced bv the Price Controi Division. He said there were many farmers, probablv thousands, who de- . pended for finance on stock and 's.ation agents, and Federated Farmers was particulariy concerne'd tha't in a denression these companies should be abTe to weather the storm. Replies from sub-branches of Federated Farhiers showed, he said, thaifc there was no widespread desire that his organisation should ask for reductions in the commission- charges. These repties, he added, indicated that in general the farmers had lLt'e complaint with regard to the -Operations of stock and station agents.