Chathams “knocked”

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33520, 29 April 1974, Page 8

Chathams “knocked”

The price schedule for beef on the Chatham Islands was uneconomic for most farming, said Mr S. J. S. Barker at a meeting of the provincial executive of North Canterbury Federated Farmers.

The new beef schedule was considerably lower than last year and would knock the confidence of farming on the islands, said Mr Barker. The price of veal had dropped from 10c per lb to 13c.

The executive will request the head office of Federated Farmers to urge the Government to take immediate action in raising the schedule for beef to at least last year’s prices. Development work on the islands could stop with the drop in the schedule price, said Mr M. R. Barnett. The Government might not appreciate what effect the lower price could have on

: farming viability. I Farmers in the islands [must be sick of not being ; treated as New Zealanders. : said Mr P. G. Morrison. They received increases in the ’price of fuel and other goods, I but unless they received a I similar income as farmers in the rest of New Zealand farming in the islands would not be viable.