THE GUARANTEED PRICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 266, 9 November 1937, Page 6

THE GUARANTEED PRICE.

Your correspondent Chump" in course of his summary of the financial position of the farmers under the guaranteed price, says that in this particular aspect the policy of the Government is inexplicable. He saye that in many other ways the change of Government has been for the better. However, he is correct in life reasoning that the average farmer is faced with a very serious anomaly due to the great difference of the payments between trade union workers and those paid to the farmer for his products which come under the guaranteed price, also for the difference in their respective standards of living. So as it is generally admitted that the farming population of N'ow Zealand carries the remainder of the community on its back, it must be obvious that to carry on with any success the guaranteed price must be sufficient to enable the farmer sufficient income to pav the same rate of wares and the same hours of work as those enjoyed by the trade union workers, in addition to a standard of living commensurate with the importance of the work he is performing. Unfortunately, the same anomalies appear the Mortgage Corporation, that is, tlie question of money takes precedence over the welfare of the community, or at lea<t that part of the community for which the Minister of. Finance is ultimately responsible. The Minister appears to be in the wrong camp. His place should be with the official Opposition, being far too orthodox for a Labour or Socialist Minister of Finance. G. F. HOLIBAR.