FARMERS AND MINISTER

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 July 1945, Page 5

FARMERS AND MINISTER

MASS DEPUTATION ' QUOTA AND STABILISATION WELLINGTON, July 20. More than 150 members of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, the Sheepowners’ Federation, and the Women’s Division of the Farmers Union waited on the Acting-Minister (Mr Nash) this afternoon, to discuss the proposed acquisition of the Bank of New Zealand, stabilisation, and other matters. ~ ; Mr W. W. Mulholland (president of the Farmers’ Union) said that the deputation was concerned about the ihtention that the Government, through its State banking institution, should control and determine the financial assistance each individual might have, and to what purpose he might put his personal credit. They were concerned that a group of persons not responsible to anyone should be allowed, as “citizens’ committees, to interfere in these personal matters. Mr Mulholland said that the Government had led the people to believe at the last election that the country quota would not be an issue, vet repeated statements by Labour members had caused great uneasiness. He also asked for an assurance that the Electoral Boundaries Commission would take into consideration the normal place of residence of displaced persons to be mdcated in the coming census. Mr Mulholland said that they supported the policy of stabilisation provided it was effective and treated all sections of the community alike, but there had been no positive statement of the Government’s policy since very important amendments had changed the whole complexion of stabilisation. The Price Tribunal had passed into prices the whole amount of recent increases in wages in many cases. They knew that certain groups —watersiders and certain miners—whose increases in wages had been a large factor in the disequilibrium, which recent rises awarded by the Arbitration Court were' designed to correct, had been awarded a very large increase, and so disequilibrium was again being established with the inevitable result of further rises m fairness to othei’ workers. , A further 3£d an hour, making id an hour in all, would put primary industries in a position where they could not hope to recoup anything like 7d in their produce prices. Mr Mulholland also mentioned the increase in hospital rates, which, he said, was becoming an intolerable burden. There were also difficulties in regard to rural housing, and the damaging effect of exchange and import control on the country s economv, to which they wished to draw the Minister’s attention. Mr H. E. Blyde, North Taranaki. Mr B V. Cooksley, Lower Hutt, Mrs Elliott and Mrs Orr, president and past-president respectively o I the Women’s Division, supported Mr Mulholland. MINISTER’S REPLY Mr Nash said that the farmers were saying that the Government should stop prices going up. What the Government had decided to do was to hold prices as much as they could, but where there were difficulties in that course to let them go up. Where the Price Tribunal was satisfied that costs could not' be met, price increases were allowed. In certain fields, prices would not be allowed to go up, and ihat seemed as far as the Government could go. The Government did not intend to let prices run away,, or to let prices of essential commodities required in every home go up one iractifon more than they could help. As far as the Bank of New Zealand was concerned, Mr Nash said he had already stated that the management would remain the same as at present. The account of every customer would be secret and there would be no alteration whatever in the deposit system. The only alteration, if P ar “ a " ment agreed to the proposal, was that the Government would determine the policy of the bank as it did with the Reserve Bank. He said that a census would be taken, and he hoped to make a statement shortly on electoral boundaries. Provision would be made in the census form for the former residence ot displaced persons to. be recorded. Mr Nash said he agreed that hospital rating was difficult, but he did not agree about other-rates. When land appreciated in value through the expenditure of public moneys it could justifiably be taxed. Ide had discussed with the Minister ol Health (Mr Nordmeyer) the'possibility. .oi devising a better method of raising hospital funds, but he thought it would be unjust to put the whole cost of hospitals on social security. Mr Nash said that he-was not com-. petent to discuss the country quota as it was a matter entirely for the P™ e Minister, who was in charge ol the electoral department, and he did not think Mr Fraser would comment because no decision had been made-. A report on the proceedings oi the deputation was made later to the conference of the Farmers Union, discussion being, in committee The conference decided to stand adjourned till such time as the Dominion president thought fit.