PUBLIC ENTERPRISE.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1926, Page 1

PUBLIC ENTERPRISE.

DEPUTATION TO .MINISTERS. IJV TELEGRAPH —I’KESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. WELLINGTON. March 23. ■■ In some direction, it looks as if legitimate private enterprise is losing its control and is being subjected to such restrictions that it cannot possibly carry on.” This was the keynote of a statement made by a deputation representative of business interests throughout the Dominion which waited on the Piimc Minister and other Ministers of the frown this morning to protest against the Government's interlerenee in private enterprise, and unfair competition on the part of the State and local body undertakings against private concerns particularly. Reference was made to the proposed introduction of absolute control of the dairy industry by the .Export Control Board in August, the deputation asking that the law should be amended to provide that such control should only be enforcable hv Order-in-Council. The Prime Minister stated that the Government agreed that the State and private competition should lie placedupon a fair basis. Arrangements were in train to that end. So far as dairy control was concerned, both be and the Minister of Agriculture were ascertaining from the Control Board what arrangements were being made for the disposal of our dairy produce. They had no statutory right to do this, but in the national interests they wished to make perfectly certain that no risks would he run by the inauguration of the new system of control. The deputation was representative of snwmillers, chambers of commerce, drapers, clothiers, bootmakers, nurserymen, woolbrokers, stock and station agents, electrical traders, and fire and accident underwriters. Besides the Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Hawken) and tbe Attor-nev-General fMr Downio Stewart) heard tho representations of the deputation.