WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 January 1926, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

MINISTER AND DAIRY CONTROL

MR NOSWORTIIY’S REPUDIATION. (Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON. .January 26. So Ion," ago as the middle of last month the Mon IV. Nosworthy repudiated emphatically and with considerable warmth some statements concerning dairy control which had been attributed to him in the newspaper reports of an interview between the Prime Minister and himself and a deputation from the Kree Marketing League in New Plymouth. The statements to which lie took particular exception were embodied in the following portion of a report which appeared in the “ Tarami ki News ”: Mr Nosworthy said that he felt that if he were to cut control out of the Act lie would lie doing harm to the producers. That was only his personal view, lie thought, however, that it would lie better to let control stand over for awhile. .Mr Gibson said that Mr Massey and the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committees 'Mr (). J. Ilawken) had said that compulsory control would he brought into effect only in cases of emergency. Mr Nosworthy: May I say that when I put that clause into the bill it was not my intention that it should be brought into operation? It was to lie brought in only by a beard elected under the most satisfactory conditions. I am still of the opinion that i:i the hands of a capable and efficient board, properly elected, the interests of the producers are safe. Ti e reports of the interview appearing in other papers were briefer than the one published by the “ Taranaki News,” Inn they were in substance to a similar effect. R ENUNCIATION AND RENUNCIATION. Interviewed in Wellington some days after the publication of these reports Mr Nosworthy not only denied their accuracy, hut also denounced them as deliberate misrepresentations of what he liad said. What he had said, he declared, had been utterly distorted and. he feared, wilfully distorted. He rarely read the papers. They were not helpful and he did not care two straws what they said about himself. But on Ids way South, two days alter the deputation at New Plymouth, ta' had read a lender in the " Post “ in which it was stated that "Mr Noworthy, the staunchest among the Ministers for compulsory control, admitted at New Plymouth that absolute control bad better stand over.” He realised at once that the “Post” bad been trapped, like a number of other (tapers had been, by interested people, blit he did not think it his business to set the paper right. If tie worried himself about things of ilniL sort be would have no time left for his job. He never had said it was not his intention to bring the compulsory clause into operation, and lie never had said or implied that it would he better to let control stand over for awhile. He absolutely repudiated the words that

had keen put into his mouth. Having expressed very frankly his opinion of the individuals and organisations and papers which he was satisfied were conspiring to bring about, bis political destruction he reiterated bis faith in absolute control as a cure for all the ills that were menacing the dairy industry. WHAT THE REPORTERS SAY. Unfortunately only one of the reporters who were present it r the interview between the .Ministers and the, deputation from the free Marketing League- lias presrved a shorthand note of wlmL was said by the various -pea':ors. The " Tara.naki News " is the morning paper published in New Plymouth and the "Taranaki Herald” the evening paper, both .standing i:i l,be very forefront of proviucinl journalism. The representative of the evening paper would have to deliver his “ copy to his office at the earliest possible moment and consequently would take a running longhand note of what was said. The report appearing- in the ‘• Herald " of .Mr Nos

worthy’s remarks in regard to the introduction of absolute control bears out. however, the material part of the more leisurely prepared account of the proceedings. Here it is as it appears in print : Mr \V. G. Green, remarked that Mr Massac had said the control clauses would not be put into force except under urgent conditions. Mr Xosworthv said he had not put them in with (im idea of their being used immodiatclv. lie had said that the time would come when they might he needed. lie contended that with a satisfactory hoard the interests of the producers would be safe.

The shorthand note of the representative of tbe ” News,” read word bv word, differs slightly from the report already quoted : but its purport is absolutely the same, the reporter having simply followed the practice of his profession in making a speaker’s words run a little more smoothly than they usually are uttered. It reads in tho original that the .Minister said “It might be that it would he better to let it (absolute control) stand over for awhile,’’ and “ .May T say that when I put that clause in the Bills it was not my intention that it should ho brought into operation-'” MOSS ‘GOVERNMENT IX BUSINESS.

Mr Xosworthv having Inid down the portfolio of Agriculture liis views in regard to “ idisolute control ” sire of less consequence to the public th.'in they were :i month ago. It still remains, however, lor the .Minister to make some amends to the journalists and other people to whom he lias attributed the most contemptible motives and methods. In charity it may be assumed that lie did not fully realise tlie gravity of the charges he was j making, politicians from time immemorial having found suggestions of ” misreporliiig " and “ misrepresentation " a ready means of repairing their own reputations ; hut now the fuels have been brought home to him he scarcely will wish to disguise the truth. It would he quite reasonable | to suggest that being associated with I’rime .Minister in the reception of the deputation from the Free Marketing i.eague, .Mr Xosworthv sought to temporarily reconcile his views in regard to absolute control with those of his

ehiet. Mr Coates had made it plain that he was not going to he as complaisant as his predecessor had been towards the excursions of the Dcpartmem of Agriculture into the realms of socialistic syndicalism. All this would be easy to understand and, in a measure. to appreciate, but subsequent events have demonstrated plainly enough that the Prime .Minister is not disposed to temporise with so knotty a problem, and that his slogan “ .More business in Government and less Govet nment in business ” is to be given its literal interpretation.