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GRAZING.
Draft Bill for Organisation.
Outline for Proposals.
A BILL whose object, according to
the title, is "to promote the organ-<*>
isation of the grazing industry of
Queensland, and for other incidental
purposes," has been drafted for sub
mission by the Government to Par
liament at an early stage of the next
session. .
The draft provides for the formation
of an organisation to be known as
"The Graziers' Association of Queens
lanoy: to consist of all graziers own
ing more than 500 cattle and horses,
or more than 2000 sheep. The Btate\
is to be divided into districts, each cf
which will be controlled by a district
council, consisting of a chairman and
20 members, who will be elected an
nually by ballot. Each district coun
cil will appoint annually a representa
tive on the general council' of the asso
ciation. A conference will be held
annually, and each district council will
have the right to send two delegates,
Objects of the Association.
rpHE objects of the Association are
•*■ stated as follows :—
(1) The organisation of the graziers
for the protection and the development
of the grazing Industry of Queensland.
(2) Co-operating and affiliating with
other bodies in investigating and deal
ing with problems relating to the graz
ing industry, and disseminating infor
mation in respect thereto among tiw
graziers.
(3) Securing effective and united
action in any matter pertaining to the
welfare of the grazing Industry.
(4) Assisting in securing the co
operation ol graziers in effecting im
provements In all branches of the
grazing industry.
(5) Generally advancing, assisting,
and co-operating with the Department
of Agriculture and Stock, or the Min
ister, or with any other institutions
of this State or elsewhere In any mat
ter calculated to be of benefit to the
grazing industry.
~ Power to Impose Levies.
rpHE Bill proposes that power shall
■*• be given to make a general levy
on graziers for administration pur
poses, but not exceeding £1 per 100
head of cattle and horses, or 4/ per
100 sheep, in any one year. No noil of
graziers may be demanded on the ques
tion of making a .general levy.
The general council may make a
special levy upon all graziers in the
State, or any section.of graziers, upon
a request in writing by not less than
50 graaiers concerned. A poll may be
demanded by 10 per cent, of the
graziers concerned, and a simple
majority will decide whether the levy
shall be made. All fines, fees, levies,
and dues payable by any member of
the association may be recovered In
any magistrate's court.
The Net Step.
rPHE Premier (Mr. Moore) sftld last
x week that he had received the
proposed measure. And indeed had re
vised it, and suggested the inclusion
of certain provisions, but it had yet
to be considered by the Cabinet.
Statement by Mr. M'Master.
"OEPLYING to a leading article in
the "Courier" commenting on the
proposal, Mr. A. J. B. M'Master wrote:—
"In to-day's "Courier" I note a
leading article on what you term a
"grazier's pool," but I am at a loss to
know just vhat you wish to convey
by the use of that term. I feel
that my best reply to what I feel
is misleading criticism is to state in
as few words as possible the reasons
why the Government has been ap
proached in this matter. I presume
that it will be generally admitted thac
all important interests require to be
organised for their own protection and
advancement, and that such organisa
tion confers very substantial benefits
on every one engaged in the industry.
If this be admitted, it follows as a
matter of common justice and fairplay
that each of those who benefit should
contribute their fair proportion of tne
cost of obtaining those benefits. As
is common knowledge, there has been
in existence for a long time a well
established and effective organisation
handling our problems, and in the
vicinity of 75 per cent, of stock owners
loyally shoulder their obligations, so
that the measure of. compulsion pro
posed only would affect that small
minority who, under present conditions',
shirk their obligations.
"In your article you challenge the
validity of. any such Act. but appar
ently on the assumption that this pro-
Eosal involves control of the market
lg of our products, which, later in
your article, you approve; but I would
draw your attention to clause 8 of
the rules and regulations, which are
an integral part of the proposed Act,
which reads as follows: —"The mem
bers of the association are not part
ners, and are not in any way liable
for each other, nor is the association
in any sense an association for the
acquisition of gain." The marketing
or control of our products has never
been contemplated, nor is there in the
proposed Act any suggestion of such,
or of the idea of a pool, which you
yourself have created.
"To quote from your article, you say !
—But surely that can be accomplished
without passing an Act of Parliament
compelling graziers to belong to a par
ticular association and subjecting thcin
to the fees, levies charges; anc fines
that some central council, governed
largely by oaid officials, chooses to de
termine. That criticism seems to be
founded on a total misconception of
the system of control and government
of the association proposed, which is
founded on the experience of the pre
sent organisation, and which is briefly
as follows: —Every member of the as
sociation in any district has an equal
voting power and has the right to at
tend and to. vote on matters that may
be brought before the annual or special
general meetings, at which meetings
the representative of the district on
the general council is elected, and if
such elected representative fails to re
tain the confidence of the district he.
can be recalled and some one elected
in his place. These elected repre
sentatives are given the full control
of the association, so that your critic
ism that they are governed largely by
paid officials is so, far from the real
facts as to become simply ridiculous.
"The principal practicable objects for?
which the association is to be formed
are to assist and advise members in
industrial troubles and disputes, and
to endeavour to create and maintain
amicable and satisfactory relations be
tween members and their employees;
to watch all legislation, both Federal
and State, especially affecting our in
dustry, and to endeavour to protect
our legitimate interests where they may
be affected: to watch the operation
of the courts of law and to take up
test cases where general principles tre
involved; to promote scientific research
into our special problems and where
necessary to subsidise such research
from our funds.
"I would point out that no finality
has yet been reached in the drafting
of the Bill, the provisions of which
may yet be considerably modified be
fore resubmission to the Government
that even the general principles of
the proposed change have not yet been
accepted by the association, and that
before the Government can be asked
to pass the measure it must be sub
mitted to the consideration of every
member of our present associations,
and then, as y?« Pave pour^ed out, it
must receive the approval of three out
of five of all those who will come
under its control. -
"If the proposed Act receives the ap
proval of those Tho will come under
, it, the effect will be, in my opinion,
increased efficiency at a greatly de
creased cost, which in times like the
present is a consideration. lam quite
prepared to admit that such a depar
ture from established, principles should
be open to the fullest criticism, and
that there is room for great divergence
of honest opinion. lam sure you will
agree, and I feel that it is your desire
to put the matter aulte impartially be
fore your readers." " _. .
The following note was appended to
the letter :—
Mr. M'Master objects to the term
"pool," but he himself shows that what
is intended is compulsory unionism.
Mr. M'Master says "the marketing or
control of our "products has never been
contemplated"; then he indicates that
the compulsion is to be for industrial
and protective purposes only, and adds
that the reason for the Act of Parlia
ment is because "a small minority,
under present circumstances, shirk their
obligations." If 75 per cent, of owners
are loyal to the association they can
surely make it worth the while of other
* owners to join. Other associations,
the Royal Automobile Club, as an .in
stance, accomplishes all the objectives
set out by Mr. M'Master without any
compulsion. The main point* however,
is that such a Bill would be valueless,
because no Act of Parliament can force
men to join a union, or association, if
they are not willing to do so. An in
dustrial union exerts compulsion
through awards and preferences; but
that method is not open to an employ
ers' union. So far as the control is
concerned, experience proves beyond
any doubt that the paid officials of in
dustrial unions do most of the con
trolling. Our main point, despite Mr.
M'Master's protest, remains unassail
able: That the objectives can be at
tained by a voluntary association, and
that no Act of Parliament would be
valid that attempted to compel graziers
to Join the organisation.—Ed. "8.C."
The Selectors' View.
TN a statement last week, Mr. E.
x Humphreys, secretary of the Selec
tors') Association' of' Queensland, stated

that at the annual conference of the
association, concluded on Friday last,
the folowfhg motion was passed :—
"That this conference is opposed to
complsory organisation of graziers."
. Tne reasons for this stand, stated
~Mr. Humphreys, were that the levies
. were exceptionally high, and that the
industry at present was unable to pay
them. Unity was strength only when
applied to the common interests. Only
25 per cent, of the graziers were or
ganised at present, but the Premier
required a 75 per cent, majority vote
of all graziers before taking any action.
Mr. Humphreys also mentioned that
at a meeting of the executive of the
Selectors' Association, held on, Thurs
day, it was considered that the scheme
was not sound enough to receive
serious consideration. The executive
unanimously favoured a sound scheme
for the organised sale of wool, but
opposed compulsory organisation of
graziers. It was believed that organi
sation was essential, but it should be
voluntary. Any pastoral association
, should encourage non-members to join
by rendering greater assistance toethem.
The Bill that. had ' been mentioned
for the compulsory organisation of
graziers proposed to exclude all mem
bers with less than 2000 sheep and
500 cattle, whereas those men, and

there were nearly 3000 of them, were
~ :*be ones that needed help most. They
would be penalised if the Bill became
law. Under the Wilson scheme that
had been propounded, they would be
allowed to join, but only under con
ditions dictated by the compulsory or
?anisation. One favourable point, in
he opinion of Mr. Humphreys, would
be to separate selectors and pastor
alists, but to bring them together on
a central council. There was no doubt
that salvation lay in co-operation, and
the Government should >ncourage It.
The parlous condition of the indus
try did not warrant additional expen
diture at present. ~~
Mr. Humphreys mentioned the
acheme at present in operation In
America, and stated that he oelieved
that it could be operated in Austra
" 11a. That was the American Farm
Loan Board. This board was formed
and financed by the United States
Government, and, in turn, the board
formed and financed committees rep
resenting each industry. These com
ntitteees financed the various co
operative associations in the districts
where help was needed.

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