FARMERS CONFUSED

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 22, 25 July 1940, Page 8

FARMERS CONFUSED

SUPPLIES-TO BRITAIN

DEFINITE POLICY NEEDED

The contention that farmers were confused as to what was required of them in the call for increased production and that it was time the Minister of Marketing (the Hon W. Nash) laid down a definite policy in this connection was made by Mr. C. A. Wilkinson (Independent, Egmont) in the House of Representatives last night, when the Meat Industry Account was being discussed. "Let there be one authority directing this matter," he said, "instead of several authorities. We have several authorities now telling the people what to do. We want one authority to tell us what we are wanted to do, and we shall do it." Conflicting views were put before the farmers as to the nature of production required, Mr. Wilkinson said, and as a result the farmers really did not know where they were. He considered it was a most urgent matter for the Minister to consider some set policy in regard to meat production and other commodities as well. THE MEAT POSITION. "■Mr.'W.-J. Poison (National, Stratford) said he thought most of the confusion was due to the fact that statements were made by various people each from their own angle and point jof view. Some of the difficulty had arisen entirely through misapprehension, but he thought that had all been cleared up now. He did not know of any difficulties in the minds of the people now, except that he had noticed Mr. T. A. Duncan, chairman of the New Zealand Meat Board, was reported in the Press to have stated that he was perturbed regarding the meat position. According to the Press report, Mr. Duncan said that he had read in Press cablegrams that meat was not mentioned in the list of produce regarded as imperative by Britain, and that even eggs were not mentioned. Mr. Nash said that Mr. Duncan had assured him that he had said nothing like what the Press report attributed to him. Mr. Poison said he was glad to hear that. He had received inquiries as to what the report meant Everyone, he thought, was anxious to increase production, and farmers would be pleased to know what in the opinion of the Department were the commodities most urgently required or most likely to be required urgently by the Imperial authorities. They believed that cheese and bacon were urgently needed, and jthat,eggs, were also important. If the Minister would say that was correct it would be welcomed. s - Replying, Mr. Nash said he would if it were possible for members to understand that negotiations were still being carried out and that they would avoid asking questions likely to make it awkward for everyone. It was difficult from day to day to determine what the position was, owing to the changes in circumstances that took place in wartime. The Government had told the farmers to produce the commodities they had been engaged in producing. The Rt. .Hon. G. W. Forbes (National, HurunuD: That statement stands? "It must stand, because the Government said that," replied Mr. Nash. PRICE FOB PRODUCE. The Government definitely desired to have produced the maximum quantity of foodstuffs that could be used for the benefit of the United Kingdom. Having determined that it. wanted this produce, the Government said it would buy it at a price to be agreed, and the price was likely to approximate the price the Government was buying it at for the current season. The butter and cheese negotiations with the United Kingdom were going on fairly quickly, and it was hoped to open the meat negotiations as soon as they were finished. "The position is as good as any position could be, except that we are right in the middle of a war and no one knows what tomorrow will bring," the Minister added. "The Government has taken the responsibility here in New Zealand. The Government has an agreement with the United Kingdom Government to buy all the wool we produce during the war. and one clip afterwards., They will probably take our butter and cheese for the war. subject to negotiations in May of each year in regard to price. The same thing is likely.to apply to meat."