FARMERS’FEARS

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 November 1939, Page 4

FARMERS’FEARS

EFFECT OF WAR MEASURES deputation to minister • [PEU PBESB ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, November 2. Grave apprehension as to the possibility of primary production being maintained at. its previous level was expressed by a representative deputation of the executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and the provincial presidents, which waited on the Minister for Finance and for Marketing (Mr. Nash) this evening. The Dominion President (Mr. W. W. Mulholland) said the cause of this fear, which was to be found in every farming area, and which had given rise to farmers’ meetings which had been held recently all over New Zealand, were certain things which had taken place during the past few months in New Zealand. Also present at the deputation were the Minister for Agriculture (Mr. W. Lee Martin), the Minister for Labour (Mr. P. C. Webb), and the Minister for Lands (Mr. F. Langstone). Mr. Mulholland emphasised that the movement to hold these, meetings had been spontaneous. Some of the factors which were operating to unsettle the farmer might be cited as follows: 1. The fear that the war was being used as an excuse for the introduction of a permanent state of control of industry in New Zealand. 2. The inadequacy of the guaranteed price for dairy produce. 3. The impossibility of procuring adequate suitable farm labour. 4. The recent amendment to the Marketing Act taking away the safeguard of the price formula. “We are not here to protest against the Government having extraordinary and far-reaching powers in this crisis,” Mr. Mulholland said; “but, sir, the very fact that the Government has those very wide powers, if it cared to make use of them, makes it equally necessary that the Government shall say very frankly that it does not intend to make any use of them, except for the purpose of dealing with the present emergency.”. , The inadequacy of the guaranteed price, he said, had been a considerable factor in the meetings which had been held. The Farmers’ Union supported the representations of the Dairy Industry Council completely. It was also felt that it was perhaps particularly unfortunate that the announcement of the continuation of the same guaranteed price should have appeared side by side with the announcement that Public Works workers were to have an increase in wages. Farmers felt that they were being treated in a different way from the rest of the community.

On the farm labour question, Mr. Mulholland said the union had had reports of applications for mon suitable for farm work which local placement officers had had to admit they could not fill.

Mr. Webb:‘Of experienced farm workers ?

Mr. Mulholland: Reasonably experienced.

The competition of other industries, Mr. Mulholland added, in particular public works, which were able to offer more money and shorter hours, was one of the chief difficulties in obtaining farm labour. “It is our earnest desire to assist the Empire in this crisis by expanding production to the utmost limit of our ability; but we feel it our duty, in the interests both of the farmer and the Government, to draw attention to the difficulty that may arise if the British Government, after we have developed our production, restricts our export to the United Kingdom,” Mr. Mulholland said. “We urge also that, adequate steps be taken at the con-, elusion of the Avar for the disposal of surpluses which have accumulated during that period. We desire to assure the Government that if it is

necessary, in view of the war situation, for (he community to make sacrifices, the farmers are prepared at all times to accept their full share.” MR. NASH IN REPLY. In reply, Mr. Nash said Mr. Mulholland had given no examples of this. Mr. Mulholland: I purposely did not.

Mr. Nash: 1 would have liked them. Mr. Mulholland: The feeling is rather general than specific. Mr. Nash: I would like to get it, because I do not know where it is. Mr. Mulholland: One point is whether the stock and station firms will handle the farmers’ produce from the gate.

Mr. Nash said it had not been suggested that they would not. They wanted l-16d more for handling wool. Mi-. Mulholland said that, in regard to the transport position, there were restrictions on commercial transport, and on petrol. Mr. Nash: I do know that it is still

imperative inside the war period, to conserve every gallon of petrol. I am just a bit diffident as to whether we should have lifted the restrictions on petrol to the extent we have.

On the question of the Marketing Act, the Minister said it had been suggested that it should apply for the Avar period and for two years after. The answer he had given was that the Government was going to put the question to the House, and the House should decide whether it should continue. It was impossible now to determine the time within which it would be wise to relax control.

Mr. Mulholland: Can you give us an assurance that when the marketingposition comes back to normal the restrictions will be lifted.

Mr. Nash; I have said we Avill bring it into the House. In addition, the United Kingdom is a party to it. Mr. Mulholland: Where is the objection to stating that when the period arrives Avhen things are reasonably normal, the restrictions will be lifted?

Mr. Nash: l have said I will bring it before the House, and let the House decide whether it ought to go on or not.

Mr. Webb; The farmers may want it to go on.

Mr. Mulliollaud; I grant you. the

larniei’s may; but war emergency measures should be limited to the period of war and a period of adjustment. I\lf. Mulholland said that fanners felt that they needed a little more than an indication that the question would be brought before the House. Mr. Nash: I cannot say any more

than that. We will let Parliament decide. Parliament does, anyway.

Mr. Mulholland: The thing that matters to us is what you, if you are in your present position, will recommend.

Mr. Nash: I cannot tell you other than that I will bring it before Parliament.

Mr. Mulholland: You can understand that that does hot clear the doubt in the farmers’ mind. Coming to the question of the guaranteed price, Mr. Nash said he had been trying to get a price from the United Kingdom to pay what the Government was paying. There had been a lot of cruel and vicious misunderstanding caused, and misrepresentation of the position by the Press and others. “And we won’t get a price that will cover the price that avc are paying,” Mr. Nash continued. “We will be paying more to the dairy farmer than we will be receiving.” Mr. Nash said it was viciously unfair to say that the industry had not been consulted over the guaranteed price.

Mr. Mulholland: Not from the Dairy Council.

Mr. Nash: From meetings, reports of Avhich have appeared in the Press. The Minister emphasised that the guaranteed price formula still applied, and that there Avas no question of using the war for permanent control. Discussing public works pay, Mr. Nash said it was correct to state that pay on public works had been fixed in April. 1936. The dairy farmer had had two rises since then. Everybody else around public works men had had two or three rises. In general, men on public works Avere doing splendid work, and did not get too much money.