GUARANTEED PRICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 55, 2 September 1937, Page 7

GUARANTEED PRICE

GOVERNMENT ACCUSED

BREACH OF FAITH

'By Telegraph— Pr&ss Association.)

JNVEROARGILL, September 1.

Dissatisfaction with th,e recently - announced guaranteed price for vA-lry produce was expressed in vigorous at a mass meeting today of Southland cjairy factory suppliers, representative of 95 per cent, of the dairy produce output of the province., The meeting was one of the largest of the dairying industry ever held in Southland, and over 200 were present, others being unable to gain accommodation jn the meeting-room.

In numerous addresses it was declared that the-guaranteed price was totally inadequate in view of* the greatly-increased costs resulting from recent legislation, and the Government was accused of a breach of faith Sidth the dairy farmers.

The principal resolution carried read: "This meeting, being unanimous that the guaranteed price fixed by the Government is most unsatisfactory, a committee; consisting"• of two delegates appointed by the Farmers' Union and other delegates appointed by this meeting be appointed to submit' direct representations to the Minister of Marketing and confer with the compensated price campaign committee with a view to taking any further action fhat may be considered necessary."

Four delegates were appointed to travel to, Wellington with the Farmers' Xtaion; representatives next week, and at was. stated that a similar meeting iat Dunedin on Friday would probably appoint representatives to join the Southland delegation.

The meeting decided to request the Government to release the report of the price fixation committee, and,in further discussions expressed dissatisfaction, with the system of appointment of the committee, which, it was claimed, should- include• .representatives elected by.»the industry, 'Amotion arid,an amendment on the subject were proposed, but ■ were subsequently withdrawn on the ground that the time was inopportune to make representations to the Government on this matter when the price was the. principal subject of dissatisfaction. A proposal that a request be made for the separation of cheese and butter accounts was also withdrawn after eloquent pleas had been made for union in the industry.

Mr. G. R.'Herron, chairman of the South Island Dairy Association awards committee, said the awards committee, ■which had been battling for the dairy farmers for some years, was glad,to see at last that they were taking' some Interest in their own affairs: -;.'■<."■<■■

INCREASES SWALLOWED UP.

"Mr. Nash has declared that he objects to farmers' resolutions demanding certain prices, but when! the Auckland freezing workers demanded a rise in wages they got it," said Mr. Herfon, "so it seems to me that' the Government doesn't object to demands >vhen they come from the right side of the House. The dairy farmers ' battled through the slump hoping to get their money back when better conditions arrived. Under the guar-

anteed • price, both last year and this year, you have no chance of getting your money back. These small increases they have .offered have been swallowed up by the largely-increased costs. '.]

"Cabinet states that the guaranteed price is fixed for the average efficient farmer, but when wages were fixed they fixed a minimum wage for the worst man. You've got to pay it whether you like it or not. I want to see a price by which a small man can live as well as a big man. There is an old saying about the power of the tramp of many feet. Today /there is the tramp of many feet, not only here but throughout the whole of this Dominion. It will have its effect, and lam glad that at last the farmers are standing up for their rights."

Mr. A.R. Johnston, president of the Southland provincial executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, said that in the Press reports had already appeared1 of the feeling in the north, but definite advice had not yet arrived from the authorities. He had been very much concerned about the matter since it had been rumoured that the guaranteed price was not going to be what had been expected. He felt with Mr. Herron that the dairy farmers of the Dominion, producers of a great part of the Dominion's wealth, were being left in a most unfortunate position.

SOUTHLAND RESOLUTIONS.

The guaranteed price was based on the position of farmers more fortunate than their fellows, and took no account of the prices of land, of . the price ;of stock, and many other circumstances. These fortunately-placed farmers had lower overhead costs than many of their fellows, and,the basis was therefore.most"*unfair. Referring to Mr. Nash's speech, he said he regarded it as most unfair that it should not be possible, for any farmers' representatives to reply, over the air, although the columns of the Press were open. Mr. Johnston^ said that in anticipation of these protests the Southland Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union had carried the following resolutions at its meeting last Friday, the resolutions to be brought forward to the present meeting: "(1) That we enter a protest against the inclusion of members of the Executive Commission of Agriculture on the price fixation committee;. (2) demand that Mr. Nash and Mr. Lee Martin meet us in a mass meeting of farmers to be held in Invercargill to discuss the matter; (3) that as the-guaranteed price is unsatisfactory we support the compensated price committee in any. action .(direct or otherwise) it may deem necessary to force tiur claim on the Government."

The compensated price campaign, in brief. a request to the Government that the gap between the farmers' costs and prices should be closed either by a reduction in costs or an increase in prices, seemed to him to be a popular move, today, said Mr. Johnston. It was receiving tremendous support in New Zealand and the Farmers' Union felt that it would be wise to support the compensated price committee in any action it might take, direct or indirect. .

CONCERTED ACTION,

"We must be united," he declared. "We must be cool and collected. We must not be.rash, but we must be certain that any action we shall take shall have the utmost effect."

Mr.' Johnston then suggested • that Mr. Herron, as one well, acquainted with the position, should next week accompany 'representatives of the Farmers'rUnion to a conference in Wellington,' so that concerted action might be achieved. „■'.

Mr/ D. Ru'tledge,: manager of the Farmers' Dairy Federation, said there was a general opinion that with ■ the guaranteed price the Government was

making a present to the farmers. Mr. Nash had said.that there was a shortage on butter of- over half a million pounds, but that "the farmers deserved it. , . . . ■ .

; ''This talk,".said Mr. .Rutledge, "has gone on long enough—too long. Who are to blame but the farmers themselves? There are twenty different opinions in this room today, and you won't unite. You must unite.' How many of you can produce your balancesi eets today and show that you are making £4 a week? Wage-earners are paid according to their period of service, but what of the farmers? Why measure the efficiency of the farmer and not the efficiency of the wageearner? It is not the overseas price that we are concerned with. We are satisfied that we are getting all that is in/that, but while our price has gone up 7 per cent, our wages costs have gone up 75' per cent. * , "How long ara the farmers going to be satisfied to be hewers of wopd and drawers of water, aliens id their own country? How long are the farmers going to be content "to provide the money for others to spend? You must unite, stand' together, and fight for your rights. Other sections of the community have done so; you have not, and that is why today you are suffering in comparison.

"I have accused the Government of a breach of faith and I repeat that accusation. The guaranteed price as first laid down was based on an average which included the slump years, and therefore was not formulated on an average favourable to the farmer.' Today the position has been infinitely worsened by hugely-increased costs, and cost'" are still increasing. There is a limit - to. the ' self-ab"hegation of any one section ■of the community. Your limit has surely been reached."