Farmers and War Economy

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 127, 30 May 1941, Page 10

Farmers and War Economy

DIFFICULT PROBLEMS FACE INDUSTRY Tho many difficult problems facing the farmers as an outcome of the war were mentioned by Air. T. Currie, president, in an address to tho Farmers’ Union Conference in Palmerston North yesterday. “I would like to impress on delegates the great difficulties facing tho Government and our leaders in deciding the best way to help the country and the almost utter impossibility of forecasting tho immediate future,” ho said. “Wo might well plan on the assumption that our difficulties will get no worse but imagine the chaos which would ensue if, for instance, a hostile Power in the Pacific entered tho war, making it impossible to carry out any plans at all. It seems to me that the best that can be done is the formulation 1 of certain principles as a basis for war economy and then for us to be ready to seize every opportunity which presents itself to improve our position. The problem confronting New Zealand might well be summed up in the injunction of our Prime Minister to the Economic Stabilisation Conference, in which he said their duty was to consider the possibility of stabilising costs, joices and wages and to discuss expanding production so that the strain of war expenditure may be successfully borne and the standard of living maintained as far as possible. So far as the farmers are concerned, I think the following principles should be taken as a basis for a war economy:— “(1) Tho structure of all our primary industries should be maintained, i.e., the best capital expenditure and livestock should be preserved. “(2) The farmers should have a standard of living at least equal to other sections of the community, i.e., they should not be called upon to bear a greater disability than other sections just because produce cannot be shipped overseas. “(3) That no advantage should be taken of the war to usurp the farmers’ traditional rights. “(4) Every call made by the Home Government should be met cheerfully, oven if it means modifying or altering present economy. “(5) Untiring efforts should be made for the disposal of surplus foodstuffs. j “(6) The various branches of farming should be organised into one : Primary Producers’ Federation to meet the post-war problems and economy. “Many of these mattters are already engaging the attention of our leaders, and I feel sure that on these principles the industry can largely bo saved the ravages of war an dwill be in a position to meet the unprecedented demands which will be made on it after hostilities cease.”