COMMANDEERS AND PRICEFIXING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 120, 14 February 1920, Page 10

COMMANDEERS AND PRICEFIXING

. CONDEMNED BY FARMERS. (By Telegraph-Press Association.) Feildint|, February 13. A large and representative meeting of nnstoralists, agriculturists, and dairy farmers was held at Failding to-day at the call of the Dominion Executive of the Farmers' Union, to consider the'following questions: Are the farmers favourable to the Government fixing the prices of farmers' produce? Are the farmers in favour of thp sale of the following produce to th« Imperial Government :(a) Meat, (b) wool, (c) butter and j cheese, (d) any other produce? In a general discussion, speakers inado it. clear that they had no time for anything but the open market. The dairymen said that they had a national committeo already looking after butter and cheese interests, and the meeting therefore abandoned that phase of the discusion. One dairyman said that the Danish contracts having now ended in England. Danish butter had reached 3305. a cwt. while New Zealand producers were getting 187s. under the commandeer. On the general question, Mr. Hugh Burrell said that nothing the Govern'ment had ever done in the controlling of prices had been of benefit to New-Zea-land producers or consumers. He instanced the operation of the commandeer tn the benefit of the tanners, while boots were dearer than ever. He strongly obiectcd to Government control of prices, unless the Government found places to which to send our produce. Mr. John Perrctt (Sandon) advocated a system similar to that proposed in Australia. Under such a system New Zealand nastoralists would control tho marketing of their produce bv setting up a. wool council. "We nre dead against the Government controlling our produce or prices," he said, Other speakers criticised the operations of the New Zealand mills with commandeered wool. "Wo are buying clothing in New Zealand at prices based on the high prices of wool inLondon not on commandeer prices in New Zealand," thev said. Tt was resolved: "That this meeting is not in favour of the Government controlling the price of wool." Them was some discussion on Mr. Mas6ev's objection to the personnel of the commission chosen by the producers to go to London to investigate the condition of y the meat market. It was resolved with enthusiasm: "That the meeting desires' the Dominion Executive of the Farmers' Union to recommend Mr. Mnssev to send the original commission, consisting of Messrs. Burrell, Poison, D.rones. M.P.. and Dr. Eeakes, to London." The meeting also endorsed the resolution of the Feilding meeting of February 4. calling upon the Imperial Government either to lift the meat, out of tho freezing chambers or continue the commandeer until that is done.