"SOLD A PUP."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 4, 6 January 1938, Page 8

"SOLD A PUP."

GUARANTEED PRICE.

ARE FARMERS SATISFIED? HON. J. G. COATES WONDERS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DARGAVI-LLE, this day. When dealing with interference in business now going on in all parts of the country during his address at a complimentary luncheon at Maropiu yesterday, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, M.P. for Kaipara, instanced the fishing industry, where, he said, in one instance six fishermen at Helensville were keeping out another five practical men, who owned their own gear.

These men, now that prices were better, wished to get back into the industry, but were barred by the vote of the six already in. It was perhaps natural to keep others out, but he had told the Minister that they would have to receive a license. He did not leave the Minister until those five fishermen received their licenses. It was the same, Mr. Coates said, with the transport industry and petrol trade. "The price of petrol will go on skying, and they will go skyhigh," said Mr. Coates. No Word of Protest. The farmers had been sold a pup when they accepted the guaranteed price without a word of protest. duce had been commandeered. Some farmers said they were satisfied. He just wondered, were they? He was quite sure that so far as their finance was concerned farmers could get along better with bankers than witli State Departments. He had instances of it all over the electorate.

Recently Mr. Coates had. visited some of the secondary industries in Auckland, and factories which in June last had 4000 employees, owing to the 40-liour week and the penal rate of overtime, would now have to sack 2000 of them. Increasing Costs. The position was that factories were not able to employ these workers. Increasing costs had put them in a position where they could not compete with imported goods. "The farmers of this country are not going to agree to pushing up tariffs to keep up with higher internal costs," said Mr. Coates. "Many men will find themselves out of work in the New Year. The only way in which they can be kept in employment is for the Government to take over these industries as State concerns, but are workers going to work as hard if employed by the State? God knows there are enough married women employed in cowsheds to-day, and if industry is socialised would they work as hard as they do now?" He did not think so.