POLITICS AND BUSINESS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 799, 21 October 1929, Page 10

POLITICS AND BUSINESS

MINISTER’S POSITION RESIGNATION FROM DIRECTORATE Considerable controversy has arisen over the circumstances of the resignation of the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, from the position of chairman of the Feilding Farmers’ Freezing Company. Mr. Cobbe alleges that lie was removed from the position solely on the ground that he is a member of the present Government. In a letter to the directors lie states: “I have given due consideration to the statements made by Mr. J. J. Bryce at the meeting of directors of the above company on the 4th inst., which statements were evidenly endorsed by the other directors, as shown by their silence and practically unanimous vote. In these circumstances I feel it would not be agreeable to the directorate, or pleasant for myself, if I were to remain a member of the board. I have, therefore, to ask you to accept my resignation as a director.

“You will remember that Mr. Bryce said it was not fitting that I should be chairman of a freezing company, the reason being that I was a member of a Government whose taxation proposals were going to ruin the farmers, not only the big men but the smaller ones. "The proposals would ultimately absolutely cripple the production of fat lambs, and the freezing industry and the freezing works of the country would be ruined. These and other statements were apparenty agreed to by the other directors. You will, no doubt, agree that if I am unfit to hold the office of chairman, it necessarily follows that I am unlit to be a director. “There is another and possibly stronger reason why It is not fitting that I should remain on the directorate. I regard a freezing company as a business concern, and it is my firm conviction that it should be conducted upon purely business lines. Such matters as religion. politics or nationality should not be allowed to obtrude. The members of your board are evidently of the.opinion that political colour is of greater importance than business principles. 1 entirely disagree with their vie\y. and as such wide difference of opinion is unlikely to further the best iteJ*ests of the company, it is plainly my duty to resign.

“I do not wish either you or any other director to imagine for a single moment that I regret my removal from tlio office of chairman of the freezing company. You will, no doubt, remember liow reluctant J was to take the position, and the length of time I took for consideration before I accepted it. You will also remember that after my return to Parliament last year 1 informed the board that I did not wish to continue as chairman unless it was the unanimous wish of the directors. Had my offer to resign been accepted at that time, 1 would not have been compelled to listen to the splenetic attack made upon the Government of which I am a member, as well as upon myself, at your directors’ meeting of the 4th inst. I am sending copies of Hiis letter to the Press, so that shareholders may understand the exact position, and that I may have the opportunity of denying the report that I resigned the chairmanship of the coriipany. 1 did not resign. I was removed from the position solely on the ground, as plainly stated at the meeting of directors. that I am a member of the present Government.”