FOR AND AGAINST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 102, 1 May 1936, Page 9

FOR AND AGAINST.

DEBATE CONTINUED.

SIX EVENING SPEAKERS.

galleries again crowded

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday.

Crowded galleries have been a feature of the House of Representatives this session, and to-night was no exception to the rule, the attraction being the continuation of the second reading debate on the Primary Products Marketing Bill. There were six speakers, including two Ministers and one exMinister, each occupying half an hour. All the speeches were broadcast. Those wno took part in the debate in the order of their speaking were Sir Alfred Ransom (former Minister of Lands), the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Lee Martin), Mr. H. G. Dickie (National, Patea), the Minister of Lands (Mr. Langstone), Mr. A. C. A. Sexton (Independent, Franklin), and Mr. B. Roberts (Government, Wairarapa). Why Low Prices in the Past? ilr. A. C. A. Sexton (Independent, Franklin) asked why was it that the farmer had not had a decent price in the past? He referred to increased Customs duties, and said that the farmer had had to pay the cost of the additional duties and had had to bear the cost in the increase of the price of goods manufactured in New Zealand. Farmers had had to bear the general increase in the cost of production caused by Customs duties. He contended that an adverse position had been created by the deflationary policy put into operation in 1929, and the farmers had had to face a falling price for farm products. Since 1914 the farmer's prices had fallen in the ratio of from 1000 to 769, but his costs of production had risen from 1000 to 1440. The only alternative that the farmer had had was the budgetary control of the last Government, and every farmer knew what budgetary control was. If it could possibly be avoided, then it would be avoided.

Mr. Sexton proceeded to examine the bill with a view to ascertaining how much alleged Socialism it contained. The whole of tl;e production of milk and cream was still left entirely to private control, with this difference, that the farmer know exactly what he would receive for his product. The production was in private hands, and so was the manufacturing business. .Transport was still left in private hands. When the produce left the ship it was in private hands. Surely that could hardly be included in the sweeping term of Socialism. It had been said that the Government's policy would kill initiative, but he claimed that that would not be so. It would act as a spur.

Mr. Sexton suggested that the Minister should give more details as to how the price for dairy products was to be arrived at, and the House should know the value that was given to the various items. He also would like to know what was likely to be done with such products as dried milk, condensed milk and casein, and, further, what were the obligations of the Department in regard to the quantity to be purchased? If that were known, it would relieve the minds of the producer. The bill would place the dairy farmer on the same footing as those engaged in other industries, and if properly administered it might well prove the charter of salvation of the dairy farmer. Farmer's One Salvation.

Mr. B. Roberts (Government, Wairarapa) said that guaranteed prices were the only salvation of the dairy farmers. The last Government had invented a new disease, and that was mortgagitis. The present bill was Labour's answer to the needs of the farmer.