Guaranteed Price--- How Much?

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 44, 22 February 1936, Page 4

Guaranteed Price---How Much?

What Will Be Government Offer ? ONE SHILLING AND TWOPENCE SUGGESTED There has been a vast amount of speculation of late as to what sum the Government, under its guaranteed price policy, will offer the farmers of New Zealand for their butter fat. The Farmers ’ Union, in its recent representations to the Government, pointed out that Is 4Jd per lb. would be needed to cover i arm production costs but rumour has it that this is more than the Government can finance, and if what the '‘Times’’ learnt last evening from an authentic source is correct, it is the intention of the new party in power to compromise with Is 2d per lb. “And this figure won’t be far out,” our informant added. Personnel of Investigating Committee. f Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. T'o Government’s plans for guaranteeing prices to dairy farmers are in abeyance while a special committee investigates methods of applying tho guarantee and of adjusting payments. The Government has no definite plan ready but according to the general belief in t. e trade, it will be the aim of the committee to present a plan for consideration to Co billet. The chairman of the committee is Mr. G. A. Duncan, a member of the Executive Coxuatissiou of Agriculture. Members are Dr. W. B. Mutch, of the staff of the Minister of Finance, Mr. Gj Pottiugcr, accountant to t’ o Dairy Board, Mr. A. 11. Cockayne and Mr. E. J. Fawcett, of the Depa .neiit of Agriculture, Mr. D. O. Williams, lecturer at Massey College, and Mr. W. Wcstwater, internal auditor of the New Zealand Co- perative Dairy Co., Ltd. It i.i believed the committee is in constant touch with the Minister of Finance, Hon. W. Nash. Tiie commit- • tee began its investigations bout two weeks ago and it is expected to be some weeks before it is ready with a report. It is suggested that the committee is considering also proposed changes iu tho marketing of dairy produce. It is understood the scheme dopted by the dairy industry last year will require some modification iu order to rcconciio it with the guaranteed prices plan. Labour and Colonel Closey. • (To the Editor.) Sir, —As a farmer 1 was very interested in your article dealing with farmers’ costs, etc., as read to the members of Cabinet by Mr. Poison and presumably the outcome of a recent meeting of the Manawatu executive of the Farmers' Union. You give great prominence in two and a-half columns to Mr. Closey's deductions which most farmers heard during the recent elections, the result of which is past history. Iu dealing with Mr. Mavage’s reply, you allot him two lines, which reads us follows: “The Prime Aliuister expressed appreciation of the research displayed in the scheme and promised favourable consideration of - e objects of the plan.” This might lead farmers to believe that tho aoove is the sum total of the reply by Air. Mavagc, whereas tho following is also au extract from his remarks: “After hearing their representations, Air. Mavage stated that the Government would introduce guaranteed prices aud that the mortgage problem would also be handled. Labour’s promise to the farmer was- that ho should get a guaranteed price for his goods and that the mortgage liability was to be put on the same basis as tin guaranteed price—on the average of the last eight or ten years. This would give a man of average capacity au opportunity of working uudor average conditions. It also put the equity established on natural conditions and one could not expect anything better than that. ‘Our policy is goiug to be put into operation,’ said Air. Mavage, ‘and the farmer will be given a better deal.’ ” The Prime Minister is not quoted by the Labour Weekly “As promising favourable consideration” to Colonel Closey’s plan and they should be well informed iu the matter. I must iu tho meai lime take it for granted that tho source of your information relative to tlie Prime Alinister's reply emanates from the Farmers’ Union aud is not necessarily correct. —I am, etc., L. POUPARD.