CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 3, 5 January 1903, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

[We do not hold ourselves responsible for opinions expressed by our correspondents.] , THE WELLINGTON COMBINE. ' \ : It ( TO THE EDITOR. I j Sir, —My attention has been directed a to the leading article in your issue of i the 15th December list entitled "A i Dangerous Movement." [a this article! c you take considerable piins io yourjc endeavour to prove to the farmers of )] Taranaki th it the proposed "Nevjf Zealand Farmers' Co-operative L)i«- £ Itributing Com piny, Limited," which is \ now in the course of formation, is a i ! wicked attempt to monopolise* the'e butter trade of your pi ovine, and i " under the prttecco of bentfi ing the | farmer," draw him into a combine'] detrimental !o his best interests. It w' 1 further stated " the prospectus is ex-1 j ceedingly carefully drawn, and artfully ' ] worded so as to disguise its real ob-1 jects " These are seri m allogatiors j and absolutely'incorreo I ', therefore Ij j presume you w 11 grant ms space in j i your journal in which to lay before 1 yuur readers a few facts, and, if neces- j ] sary, clear the reputation of the New | Zealand Farmers' Union from so vile a > j charge. The present move no nt has | directly originated from, and is closely I' associated with, the New Zealand Far-' - mere' Union as any of the members of that body are aware. The chief objects of the promoters is to place on a better footing the local produce trade in the ci'y of Wellington, and rescue the " small" farming industry from the clutch of the Fruit and Produce Brokers Ring that is draining away the life blood of this industry, It is further prop sad to institute a system whereby the producers and consumers may be brought closer together for their mutual benefit. The Company proposeb to make' a speciality of the i handling of such produce as fruit, / vegetables, and poultry products, but ' all classes of farm- produce will b) dealt ' in, if found that tbe saate is conducive to tho interests of the Company and i's members. The 8 are prominen' ' members of the New Z 'aland Farmers' Union with ihe President of tbat body 1 as chairman. The proposed Company | is founded on genuine co-operative lines, which rrstriot the number of shares to be held by one member, limits I the dividend on capital, and provides l that the remaining profits must bs paid ' by way • f bonus to producers, conr sumers, and the Company's employees. Without further comment, I leave your ' readers to judge whether the proposes , of tbe Company are such as to warrant i the publication of your leader, headed ! "A. Dangerous Movement,"—l am, | etc., A. Leigh Hunt. Secretary pro. tem. f New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Oompiny, Ltd. I Wellington, 2nd January, 1903. E [We have the prospectus and articles > of Association before us, and still hold to th« opinion formerly expressed. The fo.mer certainly restricts the shares to 50, but the ' latter is silent on the Bubj-ict. The former says " the company is proi moled chiefly for the purpose of j establishing and conducting a public j produce depjt in the city of Wellington e'c. As regards the direotors, , the President of the N.Z.F.U. is Mr i G. J. Wilsoa, of Bulls, a runbolder, 1 and a eon of a Victorian squatter. Another is Mr A. J. MoUurdy, )a f e pos'master oi the Uppir Hutfr, wbo ' became so notorious during the lat s gennral election. By the lust clause i of the Articles of Association, eviry i member of the proposed company agrees with the company, and eich i with the other members of the com- > piny to concign for sale to the company at Wellington all such pro- . ducj t s the company is dealing in as , they may have produced, not required r for local consumption. If this is not establishing a Wellington minoply, we do not know what is.—Ed.] i ,