Wheat (1) - Part 2

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3s. 3d. advanced on it by a bank, on the guarantee of the wheat only, and the market was 4s. 5½d. at the time of shipment. The wheat was not sold until it nearly arrived in London. What we urge is this, that the farmers shall put their wheat into the Pool, that they shall be given a convention—for their wheat is the best of its kind in the world—that the best and most competent people should be put in to manage the business. It does not matter to us if Darling & Son do the work so long as they work for us and do not work so that we shall become so disgusted with Pool conditions so that we will revert to the old order of things. If we can get all the farmers in Australia to put their wheat into the Pool, and this is made compulsory, we are bound to get better returns than was the case in pre-war times and the financing of the business can be carried out with much greater ease. I have been told in Melbourne that the financing of such a proposition would offer no difficulty at all. Arrangements could readily be made in London by the banks of other financial institutions. After all, it is not an immense thing. What is the value of an Australian wheat harvest of £25,000,000? What would it be to Rothschild?

2338. You are satisfied that this could be arranged when the war is over?— Yes. If we can get that effort and desire on the part of the farmers to bring this about, it would be the best possible thing for the farmer. Someone has to make up his mind about it. The farmers will not accept me or other people, so that the Government will have to do it. Even if the Government are called upon to guarantee the business for a year or two it will only be for a year or two.

2339. You must admit that for the present the Government are responsible for the principal amount of money which is used by the board?—When you start any Pool you have to at once advance to the farmer. I have already demonstrated in regard to the two first Pools that they have repaid all this advance and have money in hand, and close to 40 million bushels on which there is no money owing.

2340. There was a time when they had no money at all?— Quite true. I should like the Commission to contemplate the position that would have arisen if they had left the farmer where he was. The farmer is only one of us. What he produces does not belong to him, but to every person who supplies him with credit, because if his produce has been allowed to be sold at as low a figure as 3s. a bushel, it would have brought about a financial crisis, and the whole of Australia would have been bankrupt.

2341. The Government must have a strong interest in the control under present conditions?—If the farmers were brought into the Pool they would provide a collective guarantee which would be nearly as good as the guarantee of the Government. So long as the Government have that guarantee, by all means let them have representation, and deal with the financial position if you like. If you split the matter into the financial position and the handling position, let the Government say, "We will put our own man there. We are responsible and are paying the piper, and will put our own men there." Let the farmers at least have the satisfaction of seeing that their stuff is properly looked after.

2342. The guarantee is for a perishable article?—Yes. That is all the more reason why the perishable article should be looked after to the best possible advantage. Let it be split into two departments if desired. The fact that the Government give a guarantee and allow the stuff to be handled in the present manner is a disgrace to our civilisation.

2343. In your opinion an executive board should be formed subject to financial arrangements with the Government?—Yes. It is the only feasible method by which the thing can be managed satisfactorily. It has this advantage. If you allow the farmers to appoint their own man it will take all the kick away from the Government if they make a mess of the business.

2344. Hon. J. F. ALLEN: How would you suggest they should appoint their own representative?—We had one absurd ballot when we appointed Mr. Giles. The Farmers and Settlers' Association nominated Mr. Giles. and Mr. Hughes and his colleagues said, "We will have nothing to do with the Federal Farmers' Organisation. We will have a ballot amongst the farmers." They gave each farmer one vote whether or not he had any wheat in the two Pools or whether he had 100 bags or 1,000 bags. The result was that Mr. Giles went in by something like 18,000 votes to one or two thousand.

2345. How would you suggest that this should be done?—Through the farmers and settlers. There is no other way. They undoubtedly answer for 90 per cent. of the wheat growers. What the farmers and settlers say as regards wheat growing in the State goes.

2346. By the CHAIRMAN: But the Farmers and Settlers' Association is a political organisation and you wanted to keep clear of politics?—That is always dragged in. You may say that the Trades Hall is a political organisation, but it also deals with the union and their claims before the Arbitration Court and answers for the unions as against the employers. You cannot get away from that.

2347. By Hon. J. F. ALLEN: You condemn the system of a farmers' vote?—Not necessarily, but I do say it is a farce. If we are to do any good we must have co-ordination. If people want to have a say in the matter, let them join the Association and let them have it moulded as they want it moulded. Why should non-unionists stand out and criticise us if we are doing wrong? Let them join the organisation and take a personal interest in the matter.

2348. You insist that all farmers should join in order that they may have a say in the matter?—Yes. Every man who has a vote is bound by the man he puts into Parliament to represent him.

2349. By the CHAIRMAN: In a matter of this kind the man who is a farmer, and desires to take an interest so far as the election of those who will have to handle his wheat is concerned, must adopt the political policy of the Farmers and Settlers' Association, no matter whether he is a Liberal or a member of some other party?—I think that is going a little far. The Country party undoubtedly represents the Farmers and Settlers' Association, but the association has no power over that party and has no power of recall. It seems to me that as soon as a political party comes into being, whether it is a unionists' party or a farmers' party, the Conservatives throw mud at it. The Farmers and Settlers' party started because they felt the farmers as a body required some political entity. They have now got it, and that party is sent to Parliament House to do the best it can for the country, and secondly, for the farmers themselves. We believe that our industry is second to none in the State, and that if it not fostered the country must go down. We may be wrong, but I think we are right. It is necessary that the farmers should be united. We are not asking them to accept any tenets of faith, but are only asking that the farmers should be recognised as a body and representations taken notice of.

2350. By Hon. J. F. ALLEN: I may say that we here are not antagonistic to any political party?—I know that.

2351. We are only here to get at the facts?—If you are prepared to recommend it and the Government adopt it, I think the method put forward of giving representation to the farmers would turn out to be a wise one. We have had one election by the farmers and that was carried by an overwhelming majority. It would be exactly the same here and in Victoria and elsewhere.

2352. By the CHAIRMAN: I think it cost the State about £150?—I believe it was £120, and that it cost from £1,400 to £1,500 for the wheat growers.

2353. You are aware that the first board appointed, though there was no legislation, really acted as an executive board?—I believe so.

2354. And that the present Board are also acting as an executive board?—I do not know. When Mr. Hammond retired and told us what was going on in that place—and he made it public—all interest in that board so far as the farmers were concerned evaporated. We would like to see Mr. Hammond reinstated on the Board in a proper position, because he is the man we want. He has already saved us as wheat growers thousands of pounds.

2355. No doubt he took a great interest in the matter?—Yes.

2356. We are told that there is a continuous audit now taking place so far as the accounts are concerned