THE FARMER’S INCOME

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22388, 29 April 1938, Page 10

THE FARMER’S INCOME

POLICY OF NATIONA# , ' PARTY

COMPENSATED PRICE PLAIf

ADOPTED

EXPLANATION BY LEADER Jj,

■ NU r-sgsr “The. compensated price policy'./ adopted by the National Party meaißSS'4-this—-the acknowledgement of fte*i‘ principle that the farmer is entitled,. | for his labour and capital to a sum-*- * lar reward to that enjoyed by the rest of the community.” This deda-. r, ration was made by the Leader of •. the National Party, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, "when discussing at a political meeting at Ohoka last evening the difference between the jgarantfeed price policy of the Government and the jsrice policy of his party. V “We say that farming is virtually tae s. foundation industry and that the farmer to a reward commensurate with feat enjoyed by other - industries.” Mr Hamilton said. “But .. . Labour had realised that it had to .r secure fee support of some other see-. > tton of the community than the indu*-, ~ trial 'worker, to i«un an election wm, ,4, and so had gone after the former. get- - . I tifig his support largely with fee pro- . mise of guaranteed prices. But fee farmer had believed, with many often* that the guaranteed price for dairy, products meant along the liries of the guaranteed minimum • for fruit exported. However. fee Government’s policy had meant something . far different.” ~ . ; Mr Hamilton said be would venture . , f to say that the Government was n<* 4 paying but as much to farmers on the guaranteed price as it was getting lor butter and cheese. Yet the farmer had , * to meet heavy additional costs. The j prices now being received were above the guaranteed price: but the fanners themselves had no guarantee that they M were going to receive anything of the -y additional revenue from their pro- * ducts, above the guaranteed price. There was still a deficit of £380,000 »' on the last year’s operations, -waiting I’ , in the Reserve Bank for Rut what would happen to that derail. ficit? It would probably have to tae||H liquidated by the National Parly Got-tMI eminent after the next election. How.|* ever, if there was a surplus during the 5 current financial year, there was noiJi law to compel it to be handed to the farmer; it would be carried over to -.Jmeet any future deficit for that was the policy of the Government f"4 If the farmers of New Zealand were satisfied with that, Mr Hamilton said. then they were easily satisfied. The . ? National Party had adopted, in the place of the guaranteed price, the com- ; S pensated .price. This new plan was something along the lines planned by the party, but the farmers’ organisa- -M tions had wanted this compensated a price plan that they had fought for. 3 .and .thought out over some years. Con- f sequently it had been embodied in tbs policy of the party.