PLEBESCITE BLUFF.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 192, 16 August 1939, Page 11

PLEBESCITE BLUFF.

GOVERNMENT AND FARMERS.

CONFISCATION ALLEGED. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. "What is the Government doing for the farmer to-day ?'* asked Mr. F. W. Doidge (National, Taurangal, in the House of Representatives last night. He declared that the Budget gave no indication of policy in respect to the man on the land, the only thought extended to him being that he should work harder and produce more.

"Why is not the Minister of Lands here to give a lead?" he continued. "He is junketing around Europe at the taxpayers' expense. He is enjoying the spoils of office and I will be glad to hear of one item of good he did at Geneva."

Touching on the guaranteed price for dairy produce, Mr. Doidge said the Government's propiise was that it should be an agreed price. He contended that the promise had not been kept and the Government had resorted to plebiscite bluff. The Government knew that the time was approaching when the farmer would be justified in saying he wanted an increased price and that he could not carry on. With prices mounting up, the Government immediately threw out a suggestion for a plebiscite and to a large extent that succeeded, the fanner being bluffed into quietude.

Mr. Doidge suggested that if the Government had honoured its pledge the farmer would be paid according to the same measure as other sections of the community. This would include compensation for all costs and a decent standard of living.

"The issue to-day is compensation as against confiscation," he added.