"ECONOMIC NONCO-OPERATION "

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22910, 5 January 1940, Page 8

"ECONOMIC NON-CO-OPERATION "

REPORTED RESOLUTION BY FARMERS PRIME MINISTER'S COMMENT (PRESS ASSOCIATION TKI.EGHAM.) WELLINGTON, January 4. In an interview, the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) commented on a resolution reported to have been carried by a meeting of farmers convened by the New Zealand Farmers' Union in the Auckland Province. He said that according to the copy forwarded to him, the meeting suggested to the farming community in the province that a policy of economic non-co-operation be adopted, "as a protest against the* policy that- is • preventing them from increasing production as required by the Imperial GOVernment." , , *,- X 4.Y.It was also recommended that this attitude be implemented by farmers limiting their purchases to bare necessities, by dispensing with nonessential transport, and by staying upon the farms and making them as nearly as possible self-sufficient units for the support of farmers and their families, such p*olicy to remain in force "until the Government removed handicaps now preventing us from carrying out our undertakings to the Imperial Government." Mr Savage said that those who complained about not receiving sufficient for their produce should look at the risks taken by other people. He mentioned the Navy and the merchant service, and said: "If you can find anything more disloyal and with greater subversive tendency than this resolution, I would like to hear it. , Sailors are not asking for another shilling" an hour for the risks they take." Producers were given a fixed price, and the whole of their produce had to be convoyed by the Navy at no cost to the shipper, and in-the event of any of New Zealand's produce being sent to the bottom the farmer was still paid the full price for what he produced. Mr Savage also referred to resolutions passed by the Methodist Bible Class conference, one to the effect .that men should not enlist and the other opposing the introduction of conscription. "In plain English," said Mr Savage, "the conference suggested that no action in respect to the war should be taken at all. The war is being fought to determine whether the British Empire should have a life worth living or become part and parcel of Germany, with no right to govern. It is a selfish attitude that would not stand investigation five minutes."

1 San Francisco Strike —Shipping clerks in San Francisco returned to work at 1 p.m. today, although no working agreement has been reached with the employers. The parties are still negotiating under an agreement to submit the dispute to arbitration if they are unable to agree within 10 days. The Chamber of Commerce estimates that the strike has cost the community 100,000,000 dollars.—San Francisco, Jan. 3.

Poland's Defeat —A message from Angers states that the Polish Prime Minister (General Sikorski) has completely dissociated himself from the former Polish Government, claiming that "the Polish defeat was a result of irreparable negligence." —Paris, Jan. 3.