FARM PRODUCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21148, 16 July 1943, Page 4

FARM PRODUCE

DIRECT PAYMENT

BRITAIN TO PRODUCERS FARMERS’ SUGGESTION ( P.A.) WELLINGTON, July HI. " That this conference views with concern the attitude of the Government and of tht? Minister of Agriculture in particular toward farmers' problems generally." This motion was adopted by the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union in Wellington alter a long discussion in commitlee by _ 4O votes to 20. After another long discussion, which was not open io the press, two motions calling far political action were rejected by the conference, one by a very narrow majority.

After considering n proposal that me Farmers' Federation request the British Prime Minister that all future payments for farnV prddltce purchased from New Zealand be remitted direct from the Imperial Government to iho appropriate farmers’ organisations in this’ country, "to ensure*"that there will be no • future embezzlement or misappropriation of such nionevs by the New Zealand Government,” the conference decided that the Government lie urged to'pay the whole of the money received ' for their produce to the producers. The conference adopted a motion supporting the plan of holding waves costs and prices as a practical contribution toward arresting' inflation, and adding that as the dairy farmers’ position was relatively worse them when the price was fixed at August 1, 1038. the -application of the Government’s plan could not bo accepted bv the industry unless, while the present price was . maintained, the' Government agreed to a reduction of dairying costs to the’ 1938 level as from the beginning of the 1943-44 season. Another motion adopted was that where the Government considered it necessary .to control a price it should undertake to accept and pay for any surplus produce at- that price. Order-in-Council Legislation

The conference protested emphatically against what it termed '‘the rapidly-increasing practice of passing legislation by Orders-in-Council.”'* A resolution urged the Farmers’ Union to do all in its power to get ah Ad of Parliament passed whereby all regulations passed by Orders-in-Council must be brought before Parliament for discussion Within six months’ and’ confirmed' within nine months, all such orders to lapse if not confirmed- and not to be renewed either in- the original "form or amended form by a further Order-in-Council and in any case no regulation to be passed before .the industries concerned had been consulted.

It was decided to support a Waimale remit on the matter of farmers’ co-operative freezing works, and express disapproval of the apparent disinclination of the New Zealand Meat- Producers’’BoiU-d to" implement its previously expressed policy of maintaining Dominion interests in the established works of the- Dominion. Further, it was resolved that the Dominion and provincial executives take all measures ’ possible to ensure the nomination and election of men who would support'the policy of conservation of Dominion ihterests in established ’works and the -ultimate establishment of the- industry on a co-operative basis.

A Waimate remit was that the Dominion executive formulate a scheme for the taking over by the farmers on a co-operative basis the freezing industry, or; alternatively, to take a vote of supplier?’to-the works to ascertain their attitude toward a small levy on all frozen and chilled meat to provide finance for the purchase of meat works on the co-opera-tive principle.