Assured income

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 156, 17 June 1936, Page 7

Assured income

DAIRY PRODUCERS Minister on Government’s Objective LUNCHEON ADDRESS The Government’s determination that at least one section of industry, meaning the dairying industry, shall have an assured income, was the essence of an interesting speech delivered by the Hon. W. Nash, Minister of Finance and Marketing, at the complimentary luncheon tendered to him in Hastings to-day by the Mayor and Council of Hastings. With Mr. Nash were Mrs. Nash, Dr. Sutch, and Mr. G. A. Duncan, Director of Marketing. For the first time in the Dominion’s history, said Mr. Nash, the dairying industry would know that it was freed from the ordinary worries and anxieties of competitive enterprise. Mr Nash and his party were welcomed by the Mayor, Mr G. A. Maddison, who said that the luncheon had been arranged as a gesture of goodwill by the representatives of the people of the town and district. It was recognised, said Mr Maddison, after the elections were over, that Mr Nash, of all his colleagues, was the most suited for his important offices, and ho was recognised universally as a man of sincerity and great unity of purpose, and as a man who had made an intensive study of the problems that he would have to face as Minister. Mr Nash began by saying that the invitation to take part hi the Dairy Conference, the opening ceremony of which he performed this afternoon, was one of the greatest honours that could have been extended to him. MOST IMPORTANT PRODUCT. It was worth while to look for a moment, he added, at the state of New Zealand in particular, and of the world as a whole. As a visitor to the Dairy Conference, ho was associated with men who were engaged in trying to find‘out the best way of bringing into being the product which, he believed, was more important than any other, including even wheat. Nothing was more important than the milk-factor in the development of human beings, if what was said by men engaged in scientific research was to be believed. Going on to allude to the Government legislation in the matter of guaranteed prices for dairy produce, Mr Nash said that the industry was starting off along an entirely new road, with the Government having taken over the purchasing of the entire output of the industry. At least one section of the community, ho said, was going to have an assured income from at least one product. The industry had that assurance so far us it was possible to give an assurance. It had been said that during tho last three months the Government had passed more really important legislation than had been passed in any other similar period iu the hislory of the Dominion, and he believed that that statement was true. But tho passing of legislation provided only the machinery for doing things. He believed that the Government was setting out to build up a foundation of legislation that would give to the people a decent standard of living measured by what was in the country to give. • NOT GOING TO BE EASY. “I urn not one of those that think it is going to be easy,” Mr Nash added, ’’but it ought to be done; and wnat ought to be done has got to be done, There is an imperative uemand that the Government shall set out to do what it promised to do, not only because of the needs of this country, but also because or what is being done in other countries.” Mr E. L. Cullen, M.P., spoke briefly, associating himself with what Mr Maddison haa said, and thanking him and the council for the goodwill shown towards his colleague -Mr Nash and -Mrs Nash. There were no more important portfolios than those held by Mr Nash said Mr Cullen. The Government felt anxious but confident that under the direction of the Minister the Government’s legislation as it concerned the dairy-farmer would be a success. Mr A. Morton, chairman of the Dairy Conference, also returned thanks on behalf of the executive members present.