‘DEAD HAND’ IN EXPORT

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31000, 4 March 1966, Page 1

‘DEAD HAND’ IN EXPORT

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, March 3. The sincerity of the agricultural development conference was doubted, Mr G. M. Rodger, secretary of the Auckland branch of Federated Farmers said at a meeting of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce today.

He made this comment when the chamber was considering five recommendation points of an export drive. Mr Rodger said the export drive faced the “dead hand of the Treasury.” There was an agricultural production council, but in fact, nothing went direct to this council other than through the Department of Agriculture. Mr T. J. F. Spencer said that New Zealanders were prepared to pay the price to get more exports. The five points covered in the recommendations for an export drive were:— There appeared to be little enthusiasm among farmers to implement the decisions of the agricultural development conference to accelerate pastoral exports by 4.1 per cent a year. A much improved public relations programme was required to acquaint both farmers and the rest of the community with the urgent need to raise primary exports substantially. Present land aggregation legislation should be amended to permit private enterprise investment in land devleopment which would encourage production.

One meat company had recently reported that it had been embarrassed by its inability to meet overseas customers’ requirements because of the shortage of meat for export. |The imposition of maximum rates of taxation at £3600 of taxable income largely destroyed any incentive for farmers to increase production and expand their farms. The chamber will refer the recommendations to its trade committee.