MARKETING ACT

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 October 1939, Page 3

MARKETING ACT

“CLOAk OF SOCIALISM.” w [FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] j HAMILTON, October 19. The opinion that the emergencj powers assumed' by the Government under , the Marketing Amendment Act bore the cloak of Socialism was expressed by speakers at a special mass meeting of farmers held in Morrins- , ville to-day. In a resolution, which was carried unanimously, the meeting protested against the legislation, and demanded that at the next session of Parliament.it be amended. It is estimated that more than 1500 farmers attended. Moved by Mr F. W. Seifert, chairman of directors of the Morrinsville Co-operative Dairy Company, the following resolution was : also passed unanimously: “That this meeting 'of farmers of Morrinsville and surrounding districts fully realises that the best contribution farmers can -.make Io New Zealand and the Motherland is increased production of primary produce; but must emphatically draw the attention of the Government to the fact that a stimulus to production cannot be brought about as long as the farming industry, through inadequate prices, is unable to pay competitive rates of wages, and meet the increased costs of production. With lull knowledge of our responsibilities to the country, we definitely express cur opinion that the increased costs ci: the farming industry, the wages required for increased labour on farms, and to the point of shipment, and other expenses necessary to stimulate production necessitate our demanding from the Government that a price not less than the price for dairy produce suggested bj r the dairy industry council in their representations to the Minister tor Marketing should he paid for the 1939-40 dairying season.” . A third resolution, moved by Mr M. E. Barrowclough, president of the Mcrrinsvillo branch of the Farmers Union, demanded that the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union call a. national conference of primary producers to discuss the position with the Government, to demand an urgent answer land in the event of an unsatisfactory 1 reply the meeting promised to support. | the executive in any action it might I consider necessary along the lines of 1 lhe resolutions carried at the meetI iug.