THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3666, 16 July 1927, Page 2

THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE.

MR. LINKLATER’S VIEWS.

Speaking on the Address-in-Re-ply debate in the House, Mr. J. Linklater, member for this constituency, after complimenting the proposer and seconder referred to the DAIRY CONTROL, Mr Linklater said:— “I think it a matter for regret that no mention in the speeches was made by either member on the Dairy Control question, a matter that has exercised the minds of people of every class of the community from one end of the Dominion to the other. Manavatu is one of the richest dairying districts in New Zealand, and the matter of control of dairy produce is a burning question in the community which I have the honour to represent in this House. The great majority of the dairy 2)rodueers of Manawatu voted in favour of the Bill, and are naturally very bitterly disappointed that failure has attended the Board’s effort to establish united marketing for the benefit of the producers. The system of Control has never had a fair trial, and there is no doubt in my mind that its failure has been caused through divided counsels within the industry itself, encouraged and developed by commercial propaganda, aided by those who were opposed to control. A great deal of adverse propaganda was diligently circulated by interested parties our here and in England, in which I regret to say there was a great deal of misrepresentation and distortion of facts. Although I have been a supporter of Control since its inception, I have to admit that mistakes have been made, and mistakes will always be made by any new organisation. I do not hold the opinion so freely expressed by those opposed to Control that the dairy producers of New Zealand have lost two millions through the operation of the Board. I do not think they have lost one penny piece, but probably perhaps have

i gained by the operations of the Board. Every one knows of the huge accumulation of produce that j the Board had to deal with when it took control, and those who are not prejudiced will have to admit that the huge accumulation of produce must have had a bad effect ’ upon a market, whether it was con--1 trolled or not. The Board took over control at one of the most difficult 1 periods in the history of this country, and I feel quite sure that those who say the producers of New Zea- ’ land have lost two millions through ■ the marketing effort of the Board do so without the slightest founda- ! tion in fact for their estimates or ’ guess, and their object in expressing their belief must emanate from 1 a desire to still further prejudice the Board in the eyes of the producers., Control is not now in operation. One. would naturally think that prices would be very much 1 higher when control yas done away with, but, in spite of the arguments that have been used against Control, the price on the Home market ■ is no better to-day than it was when Control was being exercised. It is my belief that in spite of all opposition the Control Board will be of very great assistance to the producers in marketing their produce. II has always appeared to me that if farmers co-operate in any particular line in order to better their conditions there is always a tremendous ecort from the proprietory interests to decry and destroy his ecort. I refer not only to the dairy industry, but also to THE FREEZING INDUSTRY of this country. Co-operative farmers’ freezing works have been started and have been operated to the advantage of farmers for many years in New Zealand, but one after another they are being driven out of existence, not only by the antagonism of the proprietary interests, but of the slaughtermen on whom depends the economical conduct of the works. Exporting firms which to my mind are definitely allied with the trusts, kill lambs, sheep and bullocks at the farmers’ works. Through preferential treatment these firms gradually get the patronage of the farmer clients of the company, and when they have done this they kill their stock at a proprietary works This system is actually being worked at all inland farmers’ works in New Zealand, and it appears to me that if something is not done not one of the farmers’ freezing companies will survive in this Dominion. The position will be that proprietary interests will own the whole meat business of this country, and will dictate to the farmer what price he may receive for his produce. 1 and although the Meat Board must and altrough the Meat Board must know of what is going on, any pioposition that has been put forwaid to counteract this undesirable state of affairs has met with very scant attention. It is, I understand, the opinion of the member for Ellesmere that inland works must go on account of their higher working costs. I admit that costs are slightly higher inland, but the farmer saves much more than this additional working cost by the elimination of waste in weikht of the stock that takes place in transit of animals from the farms to the seaports. Many works are situated in the centre of a fertile district, and the , lambs are often dealt with on the . day they leave the farms, and no , waste at all takes place in weight. So far as the slaughter men are concerned, their action in striking , last year cannot be defended with , any degree of justice. The positi- ,

on is that their award did not expire till .June of this year, yet they struck for a higher rate of pay when the works opened last year. The Farmers’ Freezing Company at Feilding was the works that was picked by the men for their operations, just as they did the season before. The higher rate was refused, and the whole matter was referred to the Arbitration Court, which granted a rise in rate, in spite of the fact that the price of meat had gone down below production costs, and that lamb and mutton had fallen 30 per cent, in price from the previous year. THE ARBITRATION COURT did not take into consideration the ability of the industry to stand the extra charges. The industry is in a very bad way, and yet additional charges have been levied upon the producers. The same experience is being felt at

FOXTON AND SHANNON FLAXMILLS. An award has been made without reference to the ability of the industry to stand the extra cost, and hundreds of men are idle to-day in consequence, although the great majority would work to-day and be satisfied to do so. The men in many cases, in fact the majority of the men, were willing to return to work, but were held back by the Union officials from Wellington. Some did eventually return to work, hut although free labour was available in quantity* it was not possible to employ them until they had joined the Union. In the meantime men were idle on the works which usually employ about 200 men, and thousands of sheep and cattle were held up on the farms instead of being converted into ready cash. I think that the PREFERENCE CLAUSE has outlived its usefulness, and .1 feel sure that it would be of great advantage both to the employer and employee if it was done away with.” SAMOA. Mr Linklater dealt at some ■length with the Samoan administration, which he supported, and he spoke of his recent visit to the mandated territory. FERTILISERS. Referring to fertilisers, Mr Linklater said he was pleased to see that a reduction had been made in the price of fertilisers by the fertiliser companies of this country. Fertilisers used in the shape of topdressing, he said, is going to prove a tremendous factor in bringing hack to the New Zealand farms the lost fertility through constant grazing. HIGHWAYS. “I think most of you will agree with me, especially those present of the North Island, when I say that the year 1926-27 has been a remarkable year so far as the progress of the main highway is concerned. One point T wish to discuss with regard to main highways is the disadvantage small boroughs are placed in in the respect to subsidies from the Board. Some boroughs,' notably Shannon, has only 1,122 of a population, and has between two and throe miles of highway running through it. It may he said that boroughs need not construct any highway at all, but

surely it is not in the best interests of this progressive country that stretches of road leading through small boroughs shall he left ,iu a neglected condition. It is not necessary to construct a road from pathway to pathway, two or three chains in width on the borough roads. The ordinary 18 to 20 ft. would be all that would he expected, and the boroughs concerned would do the remainder. What the boroughs are asking—what should he granted by the Government —is the same subsidy as is granted to county councils for work of this nature. I hope the Minister of Public Works will bring down an Amendment to the Highways Act dealing with small boroughs this session. RESEARCH IN FLAX.

“It seems to me that the time has arrived when scientific investigations should be made in order to put our flax industry on a sound footing. There is great room for improvement in production in this particular branch of industry in New Zealand. In 1925, New Zealand exported fibre valued at £575,311, besides what has been used by industries in New Zealand, and I am satisfied if it was properly developed it would be worth twice that sum to the Dominion. It is a wellknown fact that some flax leaves return only 2.5 per cent of fibre, while there are other plants whose leaves return 23.5 per cent, of fibre. It can easily he seen that by growing the latter plant the returns from flaxmilling will ho enormously increased. When the agricultural college is established in Palmerston North, may I suggest that the branch of the scientific and industrial research which will be established at that college will devote a fair amount of its time to investigating (lie flax industry. ' UXEMPLOYMEN T “ We have heard from all sides of the House on this very important subject. We have listened to a great deal of destructive criticism, but little of the constructive kind, from the ranks of the Opposition. To my mind the unemployment of this country is caused by the low prices ruling for our produce at the present time. Twenty-five per cent, drop in our meat prices must be recorded, while our dairy . produce has also slumped, although production has been good. Wool is the only bright spot so far as the present is concerned. If the farmers

of New Zealand had the money I am satisfied that unemployment would soon he a thing of the past, because on every farm a great deal of work is waiting to be done when finance is procurable. No honourable member has seen unemployment while the price of produce remains at a high level. A good deal has been said about people leaving the land. I think one factor that has .contributed towards less people being employed upon the land to-day has been the introduction of milking machines on the dairy farms of this country. The milking machines can be run with much less labour, and the work of milking is performed in much quicker time. Tractors are also becoming very popular; they can be run by one man, and do the work of two or three teams. ”

After referring to other matters, Mr Linklater concluded by stating that he believed that in a few months the clouds of depression which are hanging over us to-day will be dispersed by the sun of prosperity, and that our unemployed problem will soon be a thing of the past.