WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 January 1924, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

[Special To The Guardian.] DAIRY PRODUCE CONTROL. CONSTITUTION OF BOARD. WELLINGTON, January 16. It is rumoured that a hitch lias occurred in the constitution of the Dairy IT educe Export Control Board. The Act provides that nine members of the Board shall be elected by the factory suppliers, two appointed by the Government and one nominated by the private manufacturers and exporters. The nominee of the manufacturers and exporters has to be approved l»y the Oovernor-in-Council, which means that if ho is not acceptable to the Government his nomination need not lie cenfiimed. The nine elected members were re turned, last month, but the i nines of the Government's appointees have not yet been announced and the manufacturers and exporters. c o the story goes, have been informed they

must submit more than ihe one name they have forwarded to the Minister of Agriculture. This is being taken to indicate that the gentleman nominated, who is both a mnuutaciuiei and an exporter, and at the head ol one of the biggest dairying businesses in lilt* Dominion, is unaccept aide to the Government, presumably on account ol the. opposition he offered to the Dairy Control Bill, and the inamifactnrors and exporters, so it is said, have refused to make any further nominations, holding that they are entitled in have the representative host- suited to the position, and the Government sn far has' refused to give way. Its next, move is being awaited with much interest. INFORMATION NEEDED.

Apparently by the wording of the Act, it is left quite optional with the Government whether a representative nf the private manufacturing and exporting interests shall he appointed to the Board or not. The Legislature places no compulsion upon the Govci iior-iii-Couneil. But the /Minister probably would hesitate to disfranchise interests it evidently was the intention of ITirliamcnt should lie leprc,seated. and if the manufacturers and exporters really have taken up this stand it is unlikely they will accede to th > /Minister’s demand. Meanwhile the completion of the formation of the Board is hung up and the prospect of it getting to woik during the pre-

sent season is receding. It has been suggested that one of its iii-st steps should he to appoint a delegation ol two or three members to visit Britain, Canada, and Denmark and obtain at first band information concerning the dairy industry in these, countries. The reports that have been circulated in the Dominion are so varied and so conflicting that, even people closely associated with the industry are iu doubt as In the direction in which the truth lie* Such a delegation might cost a few thousand pounds, hut if its members were wisely chosen and given iueilitics fur a thorough investigation the expenditure would bo repaid a hundredfold. WHEAT VND BREAD.

’Che Minister of Agriculture is in no wj,v perturbed by the criticism and denunciation that is being hurled at hi, endorsement of the arrangement be tween the millers and farmers by which the price for tbo new season’s wheal i, to he one pc-miv a bushel in advance ~f the price fixed last -ear He accepts a" the reipcrg’biht- for -'•bat ■ci- been dune -tie! derhue-: to di.-em.:

i lie details of the mi rangeiufciit unt>! in can pliicr* llie whole of the lads idoic the public, Pressed this morn!ii,r to give some iilcn d the quantity ut w limit it would he necessary to imt:oi'i lo supplement the local .supply, he ..aid no approximate cstimnte could lie formed ;it the present time. It might one million bushels or it might he live million. It the hnrvest v.eiitliei u ere exceptionally unfavourable— itnd Hu* indicaiwore not oncour*i<j;hijz

...five millions might he leqiuted. Mr \ii>uiirtliv was no more communicative in replying to an inquiry its to wheihei' the (Invermneiit or the millers would rean the additional protit from i|. L . imported wheat. lie only would give the ompliaiie assurance that the I 1,1-lie would not he exploited by either Liu (divernment or the millets. LA 1501'll AND POLITICS. •| 1,,, delegates attending the gathering ot the Allianee of Labour here profess to he greatly encouraged and inspired t,v the trend of public opinion they see everywhere towards their way of political thinking. Mr Hum-ay MacDonald and Air Ailitur Henderson may not he llattered by the assumption of their friends here that New Zealand La--I,out has been preparing the way for their capture of the Treasury Benches at Home: hut they certainly will he interested to learn that Mr 11. .It. Holland and Air Peter Fraser will meet them at the next Imperial Conlerenee ami assist them in cementing the permanent peace of the world. But setting their vain boasts aside, as altogether premature, it has to he admitted that (he Labour leaders have been displaying tremendous activity since the j jsing of Parliament, and that if a general election should come in the near future their party "ill be much the host prepared to face the ordeal, its tactics, it is understood, will be to ally itself with the Reformers as against the Liberals and so make sure of being tl u , oflieial Opposition in the next House of Representatives. Then, so its leaders shy. its succession to the Treasury Benches will be only a matter of another election.