FARM COSTS

Grey River Argus, 7 June 1943, Page 4

FARM COSTS

MINISTER REVIEWS STABILISATION.

P.A. WELLINGTON, June 6. The Prime Minister’s promise made last December, that farm costs would be stabilised so that farmers would not be penalised through the stabilisation of the prices they received for products, had been implemented, the Minister in Charge of Stabilisation (Mr. Sullivan) said to-day. Already, the cost of a wide range of commodities and services used fy farmers had been stabilised, and othe r items were being dealt with. Besides these, farmers, in common with the rest of the community, had already benefited from the stabilisation of other commodities and services. Mr. Sullivan said that in deciding the. items which should be included in major farming costs, farmers’ organisations had given considerable nelp. The Minister detailed the 'list of items stabilised, including farm implements, fencing materials, milking machine equipment, stock and poultry foods, cheese and dairy factory reciuisit.es, etc. Another list contained items which in the main, although not entirely, affected fruitgrowers. Stabilisation affected the whole pcencmic life of the Dominion, the Minister added. If the. war-time price index showed an increase oj. two and a half per cent, wages would, be increased. The Government had undertaken that that would also apply to the farming industry.