NO AGREEMENT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21009, 4 February 1943, Page 2

NO AGREEMENT

PAYMENT FOR WOOL ATTITUDE OF FARMERS PRINCIPLE OPPOSED (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 4. “The executives of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and the New Zealand Sheepowners’ Federation wish to make it clear that the Government's decision to stabilise domestic wool prices at the expense of the woolgrowing industry was not agreed to by the growers’ representatives,” says a statement issued in reply to the Prime Minister's statement published on January 30. "The principle of the stabilisation of wool prices for domestic use is accepted by the woolgrowers provided that the same procedure is followed as with other stabilised commodities, such as coal, sugar, etc. This was made clear during the whole of the discussions which have taken place since the first wooigrowers’ •conference last June, and was also stressed by speakers at the conference with the Stabilisation Commission on January 27. On the following day, when the growers’ representatives met the Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet, full acceptance of the stabilisation principle was again expressed, the only objection made being to the proposal that the whole cost of domestic wool price stabilisation should be a charge on the woolgrowers only. "To clear the minds of the growers generally as to the attitude of their representatives at the final conference, the executives of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and the New Zealand Sheepowners’ Federation wish to make it known that at no time have tney denarted from the decisions of the woolgrowers’ conference held last June, and the decisions reached at that conference in respect of meeting the cost of the stabilisation of wool prices for domestic consumption have not been departed from in any way. The decisions announced are solely the responsibility of the Government as a matter of policy under its stabilisation scheme.”