GLOOMY OPTIMISM IS SHOWN BY WHAKATANE DISTRICT FARMERS ON DAIRY PRODUCE PRICES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 89, 30 August 1950, Page 5

GLOOMY OPTIMISM IS SHOWN BY WHAKATANE DISTRICT FARMERS ON DAIRY PRODUCE PRICES

1-1 Gloomy optimism, interspersed with some controversial views, seems to typify the ideas of Whakatane district farmers on the failure of the British Government to agree to an increase in the prices for New Zealand butter and cheese. That, while the British attitude is disappointing, matters could be worse, appears to be the general view.

Farmers were asked by the Bay of Plenty Beacon for their ideas on the subject. "It seems to me that the mistake was made years ago," was a statement made by the Chairman of the Waimana branch of Federated Farmers, Mr B. S. Mottram. "Fabulous prices were paid to such countries as Denmark. We should have been paid the same, even if it had only gone into the. pool. Such prices would have been an incentive for New Zealand farmers to produce more. Britain would have been able to secure all she wanted here without buying from other countries. The New Zealand farmer was not encouraged to produce to capacity and many men, over-taxed and discouraged, sold their herds. "Now," said Mr Mottram, " it is a different matter. "Britain seems, by keeping prices for New Zealand produce down, to be trying to keep down world prices." "I would prefer not to say much until I have had a chance to consider the matter," said the chairman of directors of the Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Company Ltd., Mr S. C. Spence, whose company is one of New Zealand's biggest exporters of butter. "However," he commented, "it does look just too bad, doesn't it?"

The Rangitaiki dairy factory is also a manufacturer of dried buttermilk, the price for the second grade of which will |> be reduced by five shillings a hundredweight. On this matter, also, Mr Spence had no comment to make.

The belief that prices for New Zealand dairy produce might have reached a peak, depending on trends in the East, was expressed by Mr D. C. Butler. "Nevertheless," he said, "I feel that farmers won't suffer this year.

"Britain's internal costs are high and she is perhaps frightened of subsidies. She seems to be trying to tighten up on her buying," Mr Butler thought. "It is just one of those things that happen," he remarked. '

"It seems a bit tough. We took a lower price than other countries through the war," said the chairman of the Rangitaiki branch of Federated Farmers, Mr J. A. Boulcott. He thought that the matter would be fully discussed when Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers held their provincial meeting in Whakatane tomorrow.