Guaranteed Prices

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 201, 22 May 1936, Page 13

Guaranteed Prices

Sir, —Your correspondent “Co-operate" writes in the hope that the dairy-farmer will get more than the full value for his produce, for he says: “The dairy-farmer will receive the full value of everything he produces—he will get more—he will get a guarantee so far as it can be calculated* of its economic cost and the full benefit of any excess received for the product by the State.” Please note the words “he will get more.” Is this the motive of those who support the Primary Products Marketing Bill? He says he cannot understand my reasoning if I ant a dairy-farmer, and if I am not such, he can uuderstnnd it. Does he expect everyone to put pecuniary gain before principle? Is not the "love of money a root of many evils?” Yet he says, “Fortunately your correspondent’s sentiments are not held by a very large section and probably it. is just as well.” As for the Bill itself, which “Co-operate" seems to think 1 have not read, it definitely gives no guarantee as to price at all. The word guarantee is not to he found in it. The Bill, now become law. merely gives the Minister of Marketing absolute power to take or commandeer primary products and give whatsoever he thinks fit. The Bill certainly states some considerations to be taken, into account; but these are so vague as to not in any way bind the Minister. I did listen in to the Hon. W. Nash speaking in n debate over the air. In one breath he said that if dairy-farmery knew what they were to receive, they would rush it. In another breath he said, with reference to a certain Member of Parliament who suggested tliat one and fourpeuce per lb. of butter or butterfat would be a fair price, that such a man was a wrecker. Now if 1(« pence is in Mr. Nash’s view a “wrecker’s” price, then the price he contemplates must be far below that figure —somewhere in the vicinity of one shilling; which is no more than the season’s pay-out will work out. The market prices of primary produce are not expected to be guaranteed at all. The Bill just made into law was. with a great parade, declared to be. by those responsible for it. a guaranteed price system. Actually, i! is nothing of the kind. The price is to lie fixed only “from time to time,” that is all. It is to be noted that “Co-operate” makes no quotation from the measure. He dare not, for ho says “The dairy-farmer will receive full value for everything he produces.” The Bill says nothing of the kind. In reply to "Co-operate,” I am engaged in dairy-farming.—l am, ete.. D. SUTHERLAND. ■Wanganui, May 111.