The Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 1942. Farmers, Too, Must Live

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 93, 21 April 1942, Page 4

The Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 1942. Farmers , Too , Must Live

The dairy farmer is still being paid a price set by the Government away back in August, 1938, and so at the conclusion of this season he will have carried on for four years with such returns. And those returns as originally determined, were actually too low, in the opinion of a committee nominated preponderantly by the Government. Furthermore, be it realised that such prices determine the farmer’s gross income. From that has to be deducted an ever greater proportion towards expenses. The result is that the dairy farmer is actually having his net income reduced year by year, from what it was four years ago. Farmers protested again and again, and then under the stress of war; and due to a feeling of helplessness at arousing any sympathy whatever in the heart of the Minister of Finance (Hon. AV. Nash) they ceased to protest. But that was not the silence of assent. Now with award wages being increased and tens of thousands of wage-earnecs gaining huge bonuses through overtime payments, the farmers are stirring again. A press report of Saturday tells of discussions by dairy factory associations throughout the Dominion—of an endeavour being made to secure an increase in the Government’s “guaranteed price” for butterfat. Farmers, too, must live. A claim for an increase under the circumstances is a just one. The phrase “guaranteed price” is but a figment of speech. There is no such thing in New Zealand to-day. AA T hat the dairy industry operates under is a State purchase scheme. The beautiful theory of a guaranteed price declared that the producer need no longer be concerned with what his produce brought on the world market. A promise was given that whatever that price might be, the producer would receive a just reward for his services. The blow to such theorising was given by its very author, the Minister of Finance. When in 1938 the farmers pressed their claim for a higher price than offered, and cited the guaranteed price theory, they were told that they could not expect a juice higher than the overseas market would provide. The death of the theory would not have mattered greatly had a like attitude and policy prevailed as concerns the internal price level of our country—a level almost wholly ruled by the wage level of the country. But New Zealand has tried to have it both-ways. Policy implemented has raised greatly our internal costs, to make the farmer’s plight a grave one. It would be no exaggeration to suggest that the price of butterfat, which governs the producer’s gross return, should be raised by at least 10 per cent. An impartial tribunal might possibly declare for a greater increase. Certainly our farmers are not going bankrupt or walking off their farms. But that does not mean that all is well with their position. Those who work 70 hours a week may still keep going even though they earn but Is 6d per hour. A beggar still may live. The farmer’s cry is not for charity but for justice. Throughout the dairy industry of this country everyone is engaged—working overtime —all the time. They get no double time or triple time or see ever £4 4s a day for their efforts. Should justice not be granted to onr farming community then this country will pay a fearful toll for its neglect and selfishness. If the backbone be weakened the total constitution will suffer. To claim that justice is being done would be an almost unparalleled travesty of the truth. Farmers have a just cause and are entitled to press their claim with every vigour.