POOLS AND SOCIALISM.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1923, Page 4

POOLS AND SOCIALISM.

(Mercantile Gazette). So much publicity has been given to the Socialistic aims of Labour, that it would have been reasonable to assume that opponents of its ideals were alive to the serious position with which the community would be faced were Labour's objective attained. Extreme Labour aims to socialise the means of production, distribution and exchange, and the .Moat Control Board, and the proposed Daily Control Board are the first steps in the scheme of socialisation. The Labour Party to a man strongly supported the Dairy Control Bill in the House of Representatives, because it entirely agrees with their policy of socialising the means of production, and distribution. One of the strong arguments put forward by the supporters of Dairy Control was that the Meat Board was a huge success, and it would ho difficult to convince those people that this is a pure fallacy. The Meat Control Hoard lias the power to control the meat industry, and it has failed miserably to exercise that power. The Board, in its report, openly admits that an undue proportion of second class lamb was exported from New Zealand during the past season. It was within the power of the Board, indeed it was a duty imposed upon it to prevent such expori, for it must be obvious that excessive shipments of second class meat must have a detrimental effect on the lamb export trade. The Board exercised no such control, and what is more it dared not have done so. What the Meat Board accomplished in the way of the reduction of railway and shipping freights was done by negotiation and not by compulsion, and such negotiations could have been carried out by any set of men. Thv principle of compulsion, which is t labasis of the Meat Control Act and the Dairv Produce Control Act, is vicious

and dangerous, and that compulsion has not been exercised by the Aloat Board is beside the point. It can be exercised, and a Labour Government which will certainly be seen in New Zealand before very long, may insist upon compulsion. Compulsion is the method of the socialists, the communists, the syndicalists, and the Bolsheviks, and the farmers in New Zealand are to-day the greatest socialists. They are certainly not to be blamed lor combining in their own interest, but they do not seem to realise the danger of compulsion in their pooling .schemes. Compulsory pooling means that a producer forfeits his right to market his produce in the manner that he thinks fit. Tile Control Boards are the sole controllers of the particular commodity for which the pool has been established. What is to prevent a Babour Government passing legislation that wilt enable it io lake over control from the Boards and place iis own socialist nominees to conduct the business on socialistic lines? The Dairy Control Act. cannot he put into operation until the vote of the dairy farmers decides the matter. Tt. is to he hoped that (he serious aspect of compulsion is fully explained to them by those who recognise the dan-

ger. Notwithstanding all the magnificent achievements claimed for the Aloat Control Board the legislation which brought ii into existence is a menace to the sheep-farmers and the community generally. Banners will have a great, deal more compulsion forced upon them by the Babour Government when it comes into power, as it surelv will. Tt is contended that

the Board will be able to negotiate with shipowners for a reduction of freight and regularity of shipments, hut no compulsion is needed for this. No Board can compel (Tie shipowners

to do what they cannot do in justice to their shareholders. This is a matter for negotiation entirely. Perhaps the idea is entertained that, by giving the Board the power of compulsion over all doirx f-.u-toi ie~ that, therefore, it will be in a belter po-i----t.ion to negotiate with ship-owner.-. This is a mere delusion. .Supposing the shipowners had refused to reduce the freights on frozen meal, what

could the Meat Hom'd have done? Invite foreign ships to carrv the meat? The shipowners are as well organised as the political Meat Hoard, and while the former mav be anxious to carry on their business amicably, at the same time they want to see some profits. The idea, too, of regularity of shipments seems foolish. For such a purpose we would require mail steamers running to schedule and the cost would he prohibitive. While the produce of the country must he carried by cargo steamers, irregularity of departure aiid arrival will he inevitable. Argentine, which is very much nearer the London market and is very eiliciently served by tonnage cannot secure regularity, for every little while wc hear of chilled beef rising or falling owing to scarcity of supplies or excess of supplies. The dairy farmers must decide the matter next month, and we venture to hope that those who realise the danger of the position will use their powers of speech ami all the inlluenee thep poscess in setting the matter plainly before their fellows. There is another matter tlmi. must he taken into account and that is the views of those who buy and distribute New Zealand produce. So far we have retained their goodwill and ro-operntion and that this has been effective is shown by the generally very .satisfactory prices obtained for butter and cheese. Tf we antagonise those distributors by dictating to them they may find it expedient to foster the trade of our competitors. Russia is again an exporter of butter, and now that the Russians have started on the right road they will make rapid progress. Argentine. is another competitor that is likely to he very formidable very soon. New I Zealand dairy farmers would ho well > advised to vole against the compulsory I clause of the T)nirv Produce Control I Act. J