PROBLEMS OF FARMERS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23946, 13 May 1943, Page 3

PROBLEMS OF FARMERS

ONISTER ADDRESSES MEETING COSTS DISCUSSED A) HAMILTON. May 12, Described by the Minister as the , j-ct gathering he had- addressed Arina his present tour. 600 farmers Tended a meeting to hear the Min?.p r of Agriculture and Marketing jfvfe Hon. J. G. Barclay) speak at Mo*-, nsviile last night on subjects relat[,,2 to primary production. Although subjected to a good deal (heckling, the Minister was not seri“islv interrupted. \jr Barclay recalled the time when the dairy industry was very pleased to 1 j a guaranteed price. He added that f ff as never so proud of the Dominion dairy industry as when he cornered conditions in New Zealand with ,|f n . e tnal existed in Australia. , ’ I ;) -Minister re erred to the price ) fUa ranlec given by the Government to ' L meat industry. He said that the Government had no stronger plank in its election platform than its action in the wml position. No one was going !0 gain more from stabilisation than the farmer, and prices, he said, would n ot rise any more. This last statement caused derisive laughter and cries of “Why didn’t you It sooner?" No Wool Agreement Mr Barclay said he had always gone I | 0 the Government with farmers’ representations after agreeing with the producers in conference. The only exception was regarding wool, in tvhich no agreement was reached. Jn no well-managed factory would factory costs reach the figure allowed in the guaranteed price, he said, although this year there might be an increase owing to the drop in produc-

The Minister asked why land value; were rising if farming was uneconomic He had always fought in the interest: of farmers, he said, and if wages wenl i’P 5' per cent, the guaranteed price would go up 5 per cent. The Minister had great difficulty in ipeaking at this stage, because of interruptions. When he asked whether it was fair to the men overseas to ask for increased prices there was uproar A resolution was carried unanimously: ‘‘That, in view of the fact that the Governmeht had persistently refused to grant a just price to dairy farmers, the meeting expresses its utter dissatisfaction with the Government's stabilisation proposals and calls on the Government to take steps to give dairy farmers a price comparable with the income of other sections of the community.” The meeting lasted until midnight. Award Workers and Farmers Mr C. Cates addressed the meeting from the dairy farmers’ point of view on stabilisation, and spoke of the alleged anomaly that existed in the plan as it applied to award workers and farmers. He quoted many farmers' costs tha f were not subject to stabilisa(ion and which were rapidly increasing, and referred particularly to the hospital levy and cartage costs. The speaker suggested that a cost Investigation committee be appointed. Farmers, he said, asked that the IP3B price be made comparable with 1943 costs. Mr A. G. Alexander contended that the Government had fallen down on its job in not tackling the problem of rising costs. Requisites for farmers had risen in cost from 70 to 147 per cent, and there had been decreased production and increased farm living and factory costs. If Mr Barclay championed farmers’ interests as the British Minister of Agriculture (Mr R, S, Hudson) had championed British farmers’ interests, he would find general favour. Australan farmers were receiving 5Jd per lb of butter- r af more than the New Zealand farmer, Mr Alexander added. PRIMARY PRODUCTION COUNCILS REASON FOR EXCLUSION OF REPORTERS WHANGAREI, May 11. file Minister of Marketing (the Hon. iy}, Barclay) addressed a meeting of r/ners' at Maungatapere last night. Minister referred to the presence d porters at Primary Production Council meetings. The Minister said he personally did not resent criticism, but some things which could not be made public were dealt with by the councils, for 'which reason the national council had decided on the exclusion of the press. He had never suggested that such action be taken at meetings of the Farmers’ Union, which had a right to fight lor its causes. No section of the community stood to gam more by stabilisation than the formers. It did not mean minimum Prices, but guaranteed prices.