NEW DAIRY ACT

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1934, Page 6

NEW DAIRY ACT

IN. ZEALAND FARMERS’ CRITICISM.

PRICE GUARANTEE WANTED

PUKEKOHE, December 4. . Resentment of ' the principles involved in the Agriculture (Emergency Powers) Act was vo.ccd at a huge meeting of dairy farmers at Pukekoho 'Last night, and a motion that immediate temporary relief be given to the dairying industry by the Government guaranteeing a payable pr.ee foi butter-fat was carried with enthusiasm. Mr W. Grounds, North Auckland representative on the Dairy Produce Board, presided at the meeting. Motions carried unanimously expressed the opposition of the meeting to the whole policy of the new dairy Act oil the grounds that it was likely to increase costs arid permit the introduction of a quota without further reference to the dairying industry or Parliament. Specifically, the meeting expressed objection to the setting up of the executive commission of agriculture, the over-rid'.ng powers given the commission, the alteration in the constitution of the Dairy Produce Board, and th e method-' of voting for members, the power given the board to appoint committees with full power to act although the members of the committee might not even bo members of the board, and the power taken to issue Orders-in-Couneil promulgating regulations that could over-ride any Act provided such regulations were considered necessary for the/, economic welfare of New Zealand. It was also unanimously urged that there be a further scaling down import duties on necessities from Great Britain, with ia view to concluding a favourable reciprocal trading agreement with Britain, that rural road rating be abolished in favour of the use for road meVliterance and construction o all the funds derived from motor taxation, and that money -required for hospitals be obtained from national taxation instead of partly by rating. On the question of finance for farmers, the meeting advocated the drawing up of a comprehensive plan for dealing with the mortgage position, both in its immediate problems and in the long-term view, so that the P l °- ducers’ work over a long period should fiot vbe •sacrificed to purely financial consideration?