WOOL PRICE INCREASE

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23845, 14 January 1943, Page 2

WOOL PRICE INCREASE

FULL PAYMENT TO FARMER SOUGHT

STRONG PROTEST AGAINST RECOMMENDATIONS The strongest protest against w/.h. holding from the sheepfarmer any 0 j the 15 per cent, wool price increase granted recently by the United King, dom Government, was recommended yesterday by tjie North Canterbury Executive of the New Zealand Farm, ers' Union.

Criticism was expressed of several' aspects of the recent statement mad« ; by the Hon. J. G. Barclay, when he announced the recommendations 0 f the Stabilisation Committee—BJ per cent, to the sheepfarmer. 5i per cent, as a reserve fund towards stabilising pm, duction costs, and 1 per cent, to main, tain the domestic wool price. Mr R. G. Bishop (chairman); You have all seen the newspaper reports, Some time ago in Wellington I wag led to think we were to get 12 p et cent, ; Mr I. L. M. Coop: Thirteen pd.-^ e >A I thought. , ~ I Mr H. T. Metherell asked if was any lack of co-operation the Farmers’ Union and the Sheep, t owners’ Federation (the Minister hav. f. ing mentioned discussions with the federation in his recent statement), Mr Coop said he could not sep how on earth the Minister could talk about the sheepfarmer causing inflation because of the extra 15 pci cent. He though he was right in saying that when the granting of the extra 15 pe r cent was first announced the Minister had stated that it would help to covet increased costs to the sheepfarmet 1 Yet to-day the farmers heard it would cause inflation. "This inflation business is a new one on me ” he added. "I cannot follow it at all. But I know that there are many applying for reductions in rente because they cannot carry on with the present price for their wool. I know that for a fact. Without this 15 per cent 'it’s going to be uneconomic to nroduce wool. Ido not know whether 15 per cent, will cover it. But I know of sheepyards falling down all over New Zealand to-day, and fences falling down all over New Zealand. The price of wire has risen. You must have everything for your shearers. All these things are going up in price. The Government wants the wool—they are short of baby’s clothes in New Zealand to-day, for instance. The sheepfarmer definitely wants that 15 per cent And what is this 5J per cent, to stabilise the sheepfarming industry? How is that going to work? Does any. body know? . Mr A. M. Carpenter said that many farmers in the union had mixed farms, where without sheep they could not carry on the sheep being the founds, •tion of those farms. The Farmers’ Union did not represent many of the wool kings cited. He thought the matter so grave that the executive should refer the whole question of the 15 per cent back to the Dominion Executive rather than merely accept the statement published. Mr Bishop: I think it’s up to us to say we do not agree with the recommendations, and that we suggest the whole 15 per cent, goes to the sheeptwo members suggested that the reported naming of the Sheepowners’ Federation in the discussion* with the Stabilisation Committee was a mistake. „ , ... Mr R. T. McMillan moved that the executive urge the Dominion Executive of the Farmers’ Union to make the strongest protest against the withholding of any of the 15 _ per cent, increase. There was in existence, he said, a Farmers’ Federation includme the Sheepowners’ Federation, Farmers Union, Dairymen’s Association, .and others, and he would also move that the Dominion Executive refer the question to this federation. Mr R. Hall: This money was for the sheepfarmer. What right had the Government to “pinch” any of it? Also, I think the reference by the Minister, to inflation was impertinent. : \ Mr Coop said that the Austral)' sheepfarmer had been paid tMjffr, ; increase. He moved that the executive ask the New Zealand Government t5 give the New Zealand sheepfarmer, the same treatment as the Australian shebpfarmer had been given _ Both Mr McMillan’s and Mr Coop* resolutions were carried unanimously.