AUCKLAND’S DAIRY PLAN

Evening Star, Issue 21878, 15 November 1934, Page 8

AUCKLAND’S DAIRY PLAN

ALTERNATIVE TO EXECUTIVE COMMISSION CREDITS TO ENSURE PRICE MINIMA [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, November 15. The Auckland Farmers’ Union, which is strongly opposed to the appointment of an Executive Commission of Agriculture, has adopted an alternative plan for the rehabilitation of the dairy industry, drawn up by a sub-committee.i It recommends:— (1) Further scaling down of import duties on necessities, with a view to concluding a favourable reciprocal trading agreement with Britain. (2) The use of all motor taxation for road purposes to relieve county ratepayers. (3) The abolition of the hospital rating system. (4) A comprehensive plan for dealing with the mortgage position so that the producers’ woric over a long period shall not be sacrificed to purely financial considerations. In such a plan human values, as against financial values, should have far greater consideration than in the past. . (5) A further lowering of interest rates through the agency of the Reserve Bank. (6) In addition to the foregoing, some immediate relief is necessary, and credits should he issued by the Reserve Bank free of interest for the purpose of guaranteeing a minimum price of Is per lb for butter-fat, with a proportionate price for cheese. “ When the foregoing reforms are given effect to we consider that the base minimum price for butter-iat should be lOd per lb. The credits should be repayable from a fund created as, and when, market prices rise above the respective guaranteed minimum prices.” _