THE PRICE OF PRODUCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 66, 18 March 1915, Page 3

THE PRICE OF PRODUCE.

ATTITUDE OF THE FARMERS. CBy -Telesraph.—Own Correspondent.) / CHRISTCHUROH,. this day. Many people are. not at all in sympathy with the recent" action of the farmers in the of foodstuffs. When at first farmers urged Mr. -Maceey to fix wheat prices, it was. thought that they were acting in -a- patriotic -spirit, (but,, recent developments have raised serious doubts. Prominent farmers have plainly stated that they'only urged Mr. Massey to fix the price of wheat because farmers had cold the old crop, and the speculators would reap a harvest .of gold.- But the farmers themselves own the new crop, and they don't want restricted prices any. longer. The restriction, b off,, and I have heard of wheat selling at 7/2.. The meat position is tt\e same. The president of the local Farmers' Union says the farmers are patriotic, and-want to sell to the Government at a fair price. Asked what : that price is, he answers, "Full market • rates," so the consumers fail to see where the patriotism comes in. It is felt here that the farmers' attitude is very selfish. The attempt to get concessions on eeed wheat caused widespread irritation. The latest document issued comes from the Farmers' Union. It is a manifesto dealing with' the present frozen meat trouble, and reads as follows:— "The executive of the Farinere' Union has considered the whole question of the present frozen meat problem, and gone carefully jnto the value of lambs, accord: ing to prtces fixed by the Imperial Goy : ernment. A well known commercial freezing expert says that he is prepared to buy all first-quality lambs in North Canterbury at per lb in works over all, provided he can obtain space." After dealing with value* the manifesto goes on, "The-.opinion of the executive is that in face. of. these values, compared with the prices given, by the exporters, farmers are being exploited, and recommends that action be taken along the following lines. Two ships are being loaded, this "month earlier than was expected,, and eight ships are loading next month, in addition to ' which the --executive has -been advised that the Imperial Government is making strenuous efforts ■to hurry "forward further ships. Outside Canterbury and Marlborough the freezing- companies can cope with . all sheep and lambs- offered, 1 and •in Marl-borough, although the works are full, there is no more fat stock to handle. It therefore appears evident that the blockage in' tie Canterbury works is. only temporary and the executive makes a strong appeal to the Canterbury farmers to hold their .stocks firmly for advanced prices. The freezing companies candidly admit that they are giving practically the whole of' their space to export buyers, who have previously supported them,'but if farmers decline to accept less than 6Jd or 6id for prime lambs, then .the export buyer must either give the -fanners that price or he cannot carry ,out his contract to fill space with the freezing companies. If the exporter cannot fill his space, then space is. left for the farmers, and they ■will then secure the: prices for their lambs which they ask."