DAIRY PRODUCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 30, 4 August 1939, Page 6

DAIRY PRODUCE

FIXING THE PRICE

VIEWS Of THE INDUSTRY

INCREASED COSTS

The executive committee of the. dairy industry conferences met in Wellington yesterday to consider the question of the guaranteed price for the 1939-40 season. It was unanimously decided to reaffirm the decisions made at the annual conferences of the New Zealand Dairy Board in April, the South Island Dairy Association in June, the' National Dairy Conference in June, and the Farmers' Union Conference in July, that the recommendations of the 1938 Guaranteed Prices Advisory Committee be accepted as the basis of the price for the 1939-40 season. The conferences' executive committee considered, however, that the industry's offer to forgo all ascertainable increases in costs since the presentation of the advisory committee's report, required revision on the following grounds:— 1. Because, of further rises which have taken place in general costs since the presentation of the committee's report. 2. Because of the inability of the Minister of Marketing to finalise an effective standstill arrangement with the Federation of Labour. 3. Because of further additional costs as disclosed by the. Budget. The conferences' executive committee placed on record its further opinion ! that the 1938-39 advisory committee i should be called together immediately j to investigate and report on what'in-j creases in costs have taken place since: their recommendations were made. j Those present at the meeting yester-j day were representatives of the Dairy j Board, the National Dairy Federation, the South Island Hairy Association, the New Zealand Farmers' Union, and the' dairy industry's nominees on the 1938- j 39 Guaranteed Prices Advisory Com-1 mittee. { The chairman of the Dairy Board, j Mr. W. E. Hale,! reported that he had met the Acting Minister of Marketing (the Hon. W. Lee Martin) and had sug- . gested that a decision as to the price to j be paid for the 1939-40 season should not be made till the conferences' executive comittee had had an opportunity of- discussing the position, with Mr. Nash after his return, and that Mr. Martin had agreed to this course. The chairman's action was approved. QUESTION FOR GOVERNMENT^ Yesterday, Messrs. Hale, W. Marshall, and T., C. Brash met Mr. Martin to acquaint him of the decisions made by the committee. The question put to, the Government about the guaranteed price was as follows: — In View of recent Ministerial statements which have been made concerning the guaranteed price plan, the substantial deficit which has accrued in the Dairy Industry Account, and the confusion of thought existing as to what is provided for under the plan, the conference's executive committee respectfully inquires if it is the intention of the Government to charge deficits which may occur in | the Dairy Industry Account against realisations in subsequent years. , ! At a later meeting yesterday afternoon Mr. Hale .reported that Mr. Martin had agreed to convey the committee's representations to Mr. Nash and to arrange a meeting between Mr. Nash and the dairy industry conference's executive committee at • the earliest possible moment after Mr. Nash's return.