HONEY FRUIT AND EGGS TO BE CONTROLLED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 59, 2 December 1937, Page 7

HONEY FRUIT AND EGGS TO BE CONTROLLED

-Press Association.

OTHER FOODSTUFFS 1NCLUDED Mr. NasK Introduces Legislation in House GOVERNMENT TO BUY & FIX PRICES

By Telegraph-

.WELLINGTON, Last Night. Power to fix wholesale or retail prices of dairy produce and acquire at fixed pricbs fruit, honey and eggs, and- any otller foodituffs that may be declared by Ofder-in-Cdiincil, is giveii to the Primary Prodnets Marketing Department in tbe Primary Products Marketing Amendment Bill, which was introdueed by GovernOrGeneraFs msSs&ge" in tbe HbilSe bf BebreS'entatives io-iiight ahd read the first time. 4 The- Bill also divides the . department into two brancheS, tbe dairy export division and the internal marketing division, and tkere is power to eonstitute further branches if required. Provision is made ior the creation of an Internal Marketing Acconnt at tbe Kfeserve Bank dnd the Minister is empowered to make adjiistments between this aecoiiht and the dbiry acconnt when he considers such a eourSe is necessary. ; The appoihtment of Mr G. A, D'urican as director of the dairy produce export division is confirmed, and Mr F. R. Picot is appointed director of the interhal marketing division. The Minister of Finance, .the Hon. W. Nash, stated'that the Bill extended to the'list of prodilctS that eould be handled by the Internal Marketing Department honey, fruit, eggs, and other foodstuffs. f • iOpposition members complained heatedly of the MimSter s scanty explanation of the Bill, the Minister stating he wbuld give s fnller exp.anation on the Second reading of the measure.

The stroiig protesfc against ihe meagre details wnich the Minister gave itt introducing the Bill was voiced prinfcipally bv the Bt. Hon. J. G. Coates (Opposition, Kaipara), who described ihe attitude of the Minister as shuffling and claimed that Mr NaSh * had iiofc treated the Opposition with the . usiial eourtesy. Mr Nash said the Bill extended fp tbe list of productSL that could )bb' I handled by the Internal Marketing Defartment, honey, fgruit, eggs and other oodstnffs? Mr H. S. 8. Kyle (Opposition, ^e•arton) : Are cabbages included? The Minister; No. ^ . . Mr H. J. Holyake (Opposition, Motueka): Vegetables? Mr Nash: There is no special prb▼ision for ([vegetables. Mr Coates: Then why not Shy SO right away? Mr Nash: There is no mention of vegetables in the Bill. Mr Coates: Well, why mention other foodstu,s? "Will finy inore businesses be piirehased?" asked Mr S. G. Hollahd (OppOSitiori, Christchurch Nortfi). Mr Coates said he could not remember a previous similar occasion, with a Bill of such importance, when so little detail had beeh. given. There were iinporthnt jirovisiong dealing with dairy" produce for export which should be explained. "The Bill does not take away tny more powers thaii thosb'alfeady fexisting for exportable produce," said Mr Nash. ' Mr Coates: Why have it in the Bill, then? Mr Nash: There are one or two ininor elauses Telating to a dairy industry acconnt. Mr Coates: Oh that iS the thilig Then why did the Minister not say So when giving his explanation? Mr Coates pressed for further detaals about the term " other foodstuffs." The Minister, he said, had not replied to the inquiry about vegetables. Mr Nash: You asked if vegetables Were included and I said they wero not mentioned. Mr Coates: Is that the answer one is to expeet from a TespOflsible Minister bf the Crown? If ever there was shuffiing, then enter the king aiid priflce df ihufflers. The Chairman of Committees, Mr E. J. Howard, called the House to order, Mr Coates iuterjecting "Blocked again." 16 Another Step to Socialisia? . "We are entitled to some clear explanation," Mr Goates said. "Surely we are not to be treated as chillrt«. The couhtry is entitled to know what is in the Bill and. what it means. Is this another step toward the socialisation of "Cabbages," interjeeted Government members. Mf Coates: Does it mean another itep to the socialisation of distribution and exchauge? Is it the complete a,iid final step in the governm ent's poliey of entering into competition in all fOrms of tlie exchange and distribution

oi produce? Of all the Inswers that could have been given I can imagifne none more misleading ancl incomplete thdrt those of the Minister. Mr Nasb shook his head when Mr Coates. aske.lif ihe opening of the accbtiht hr tio Eeserve Bank for the Internal Marketing Department meaiit that some person was to conduct a campaign of internal marketing in the Dominion. •!Mf HoiyoSbe asked if the provisions wotld Cover tfie entire seope of the fruit indnstry. Mr Nasit said that there was no; hctual provision iii the Bill for grading, but the provision was to make for the " ordetly marketing' bf fruit. Mr. Ayle asked wbethe/ there Was iny provision. for ihe fixing of prices for all the produce which was to be' inciuded. Pid the Government intencl to compete j\dth the vegetable markets of ihe coiihtfy? Was there ahy inteiiiioii to enter into hegotiatierns for the purchase of some of ihe great markets bf the bities, albttg the liites bf ihe purchase of Picot Brothers? Was it true thai there would be provision. for pieventing non-retailing ahd private persons from buying .at the markets ? ' Mr. Nash replifed tHai he did not know of any provision io debar private dealing at the markets. 8tle of Meat. Mr. S. G. Holland (Opposition, Christchurch North) inquired whether the sale bf meat, of confectionery, oi bf spifiiS, even, would be included under "other foodstuffs." The Minister shook his head when Mr. Hbllaiid asked if the sale of htteat m reiaii shops br at the freezing wbrks would be' included. Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitoma), asked if the interition of thb JBill was to allow the Government to control prices "ai ihe ekpense of the /armer." Mr. Coates protbsted & Sfecond time abbut thb paticity of detail in the explahation by the Minister. He said ihat Mr, Nash had not extended the usudl courtesy to the Opposition. "Thd MiniSter adopted a slightixlg, dogmatic, and contemptuous way .of answering the questions we have asked liim," Mr. Coates said. "It ig the iirst time in my experience that a Miilister has sb toirljjlefely ignored the questions asked him iix a proper way. It is something new to us. Is it sihxster? Are the Minister and the heads of his depariihents to' conduct the business Of the edUntry iii this way." Mr. W. J. Polson (Opposition, Stratford) : His idtbst Moscoiv idea ! Mr. Coates : I did not. suggest that. But if the Minister refuses t0 answer tlie people of thb i)6miiiion can only draw tlieir oWfl conclusions. That is, that we are being governed by a Gbvennnetit tliat .lias ii6 other inethbds than steam-rolier tactics to achieve its en.ds. It is the only interpretation a xnan can take, in view of the contemp-

tuous mariner in which the Minister lias iglibi-ed entirely the questions which the Opposition is entitled' to ask. Mr. Nash's riopiy. - Jlt. Nash said lie had answered the questions, one by oue, as they liad becn asked. The Bill would be available i'or membei's as soon as the ititroductory messago was agi-eed to, or shortly after. He had adopted tbe usual metliod of waiting uutjl the second reading to give full explanations of its provisions. T0 Mf. Kolyoake, who liad repeated his qnestion about grading, Mr. Nash repeated hi» answer, that grading waS not actually proyided fof in the Bill. If gradiilg mvolved orderly marketing, certainly there Was provision for ordefly miifketiflg. The Bill was read a kret time.