GUARANTEED PRICE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 51, 18 August 1939, Page 7

GUARANTEED PRICE

OPOURIAO SUPPLIERS IN FAVOUR ■ r-r- r ■' 3 : DESIRE AN INCREASE Introducing the question, of the -.guaranteed price, Mr Ruddick at the annual meeting of suppliers to the Opouriao Dairy Company, at "Tancatua yesterday read copies of resolutions passed at several South Auckland suppliers meetings recent. ly • . , ~ "The guaranteed price," he saul, '"is a verv contentious subject. There is a section, of farmers who apparently want to throw their pio--duce on to the open market again* but I think "if a referendum were "taken, 90 per cent would favour the •continuation of the guarantee. On the other hand if farmers were asked to -vote for the same price without any consideration being given to the rising costs, I think 100 per •cent would be against it. ''The guaranteed price Advisory •Committee had recommended a price •which was considered necessary and fair. The Minister of Finance, Mr W. Nash; had however -taken: on him vself to reduce it by Id. This was ' wrong.: If. any Minister had taken the f same liberty with a wages award set itip by the Arbitration Court • tHece .' would be strikes throughout the length and breadth of New Zea. " land. They knew however . that the farmers would not go on strike as they could not afford to pour away •.their-milk for a month or two. Afr ,F. Yeoman expressed similar sentiments and considered that the guaranteed price should be sufficient to cover rising costs. Mr McGougan thought that the National Party members who had « condemned the guaranteed price, had mistaken the true issue, which was as 'the previous speaker had said, "that it must make provision for any rise in costs. On, the motion of Mr Ruddick, seconded by Mr A. F. McGougan, the meeting unanimously passed the following resolution which will go "forward to the M.P. for the district to the Dairy Board: ''That this meeting of suppliers to the Opouriao -Dairy urges the Government to give effect to the report by the Guaranteed Price Advisory Committee 1938, by paying the 1939.40 ; prices recommended therein, with an sum to cover ascertain, able costs which have since arisen."