GUARANTEED PRICES

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21747, 1 April 1936, Page 12

GUARANTEED PRICES

N.Z. AGENTS OF LONDON

BUTTER FIRMS

POSSIBLE ELIMINATION

(PBBSS ASSOCIATION TKLKOBAM.)

WELLINGTON, March 31,

Asked whether the Government's guaranteed-price scheme would mean the elimination of New Zealand agents of butter-importing firms in London, the Minister for Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) said to-day that the Government's policy was to provide ways and means to ensure that the farmer received the best price possible for his produce. At the same time, steps would be taken to see that the consumer in New Zealand and the user of New Zealand's products overseas were charged, as far as ascertainable, a "just price." To enable this to be done, said Mr Nash, it was obvious that only those services that were necessary as between pioducer and consumer could be provided for in the Government's scheme.

DANGER OF DEAR FOOD

AFRICAN FARMER'S WARNING

(paiss association tiliqjuu.)

A warning against the danger of dear food as the result of giving price guarantees to farmers was voiced today by Mr E. H. Bishop, a member of the visiting South African farmers' party before his departure from New Zealand.

Mr Bishop said that in South Africa the Government subsidised the producers of numerous commodities and this had encouraged production. It had, however, discouraged consumption and placed some important articles of food beyond the reach of the poorer sections of the community. "Assuming that the New Zealand Government has decided to guarantee prices to dairy farmers, I suggest that care be taken to see that the prices of all food commodities are kept within the reach of the lower paid classes," he said.