A PRODUCER-CONSUMER PLAN

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 113, 16 May 1938, Page 8

A PRODUCER-CONSUMER PLAN

Closer association between the nations of the British Commonwealth is desirable. Early in April the producers of the Empire discussed* their problems, and this conference has been followed by a meeting of the Australian Agricultural Council, at which New Zealand was represented by the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Martin) andj the DirectorGeneral of Agriculture (Mr. A. H. Cockayne). The report from Canberra, published on Saturday, makes iit clear that * the conference was an outstanding success and that as a result there is an improved understanding between Australia and New Zealand on many points which have I caused difficulty in the past. The suggestion that New Zealand should | have; permanent representation on an [Australasian Agricultural Council is one that should receive the sympathetic consideration of the * Government, for the foundation . laid at Canberra "tan be built upon at Perth (the venue of the next conference) and at Wellington (where the council may meet at some future date).l Although the subjects discussed by the Agricultural Council were similar to those discussed by the conference of Empire producers, * the approach jvas necessarily different. In the main, although not wholly, the producers were concerned Ayith their own welfare and theii; own particular problems. The consumer was* considered, but mainly in the direction of being told what was good for him. Market movements, it was stated,] resulted in the appearance of speculators, and it was in the interests of the consumer, as well as the producer, that supplies to the United Kingdom should be regulated. There is more in it than that. .Regulation may be necessary, but no scheme can be successful unless it contemplates an expansion of markets, and that involves meeting the needs of the consunder. The constitution of the Australian Agricultural Council ensures consideration of the needs of the consumer, for its personnel includes direct representatives of the people, and from that point of view there may be a divergence between the council and the producers. It should, however, be possible to reconcile differences between the point of view of the producers and the point of view of the consumers and evolve a satisfactory producer-con-sumer ' plan as distinct from a proi ducer plan. If it is to be an Empire plan, of course, it will be necessary to make the discussions wider than are possible at a meeting of the j Australian (or Australasian) Agricultural Council.