WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1921, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE MEAT POOL. , • DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Dec. 21. The discussion on the meat pool scheme in the House las; night showed members to be practical!)?, unanimous in approval of the principle of the proposal. Dlr. George Witty, the member for Riccarton, took some exception to the manner in which the scheme had been hatched, but liis criticism was directed against the Prime Minister’s methods, not against the policy he had propounded. Incidentally il gave Mr. Massey an opportunity to explain how the scheme had been evolved. At one of the regular meetings of the Reform caucus some of the members of the party, anxious for a return to the commandeer conditions, had submitted proposals along the lines of the scheme now being discussed, and the proposals had seemed of so much consequence they had been taken in hand by the Government. There had been no intention to make the scheme a party affair in any way; but it had beert necessary for the Government to assume responsibility for whatever might be done, and only to that extent, need it belong more to onej skte of tSie House than to the other. THE MIDDLEMAN. The note of unanimity which pervaded the House last night was strangely, varied by conflicting opinions concerning the position the “middleman” would! occupy in the scheme. Mr. Massey did," not contemplate any difficulty in this direction. He thought the adoption of the pool would help the various firms and companies interested in the handling of the farmers’ produce. So far as the Government was concerned it would be very glad to have their assistance, as it knew there were in these firms and companies some of the most capabale business men to be found in the country. The freezing in particular, and the stock and station agents, also would be required. Mr. W. D. Lysnar, on the other hand, who is> popularly regarded as something of a middleman himself, solemnly warned the Government against the intrusion of “vested interests.” The producers and the Government, he said, must dominate the board, and the mercantile element must be kept out. Betweenthese two conflicting views were many differing opinions, the general disposition being to ballast popular management with a certain measure of business experience. OUTSIDE THE HOUSE. Business men who have studied the Government’s proposals, as far as they may be studied from the reports appearing in the newspapers, are not yet greatly concerned for the fate of private enterprise. They a. glad to see that Mr. Massey and most of his supporters are conscious of tne penis unat/ would beset the Dominion in any attempt to over-ride hastily the conditions that have grown up in the Home market. New Zealand cannot get rid of the customs and traditions that exist in London by the stroke of a pen or even by an act of Parliament. But business; men recognise frankly that there are < improvements to be made in the handling of frozen meat and other New Zealand products at both ends. They < are amused, rather than alarmed by the suggestion that the middleman, should be knocked on the head forthwith, and they are quite ready to consider the Government’s proposals in a •friendly co-operating spirit. But they require a good deal more in format ioiwconcerning them than they have at present before they can express any definite opinion upon their merit.