ANTI-SET PRICE REMITS

Northern Advocate, 19 August 1936, Page 8

ANTI-SET PRICE REMITS

[Special to “Northern AUCKLAND, This Day.

Discussing the guaranteed price last night, the executive of thp Auckland. Provincial Branch of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union, passed the following remits:— (1) From the Waikato stating that the price fixed apparently made no allowance for the increase in costs, direct and indirect, caused largely by legislation, and that the final result might easily be a smaller net increase for the farmer than for the past year Fears were also expressed that the difficulty in obtaining farm labour would be gravely increased, and, as a consequence, there might be a tendency for women and children to Tie driven tc the milking shed. The remit requested the Government to disclose the basis and figures upon which the guaranteed price was arrived at, and that steps be taken to retain the natural export parity for local butter prices with the guaranteed price as a minimum, and, if and when export parity exceeded the guaranteed price, such difference be paid into the dairy fund to be distributed to the industry as deferred payment at the end of this year. It was also asked that the Government, in conjunction with the dairy industry, institute a local marketing scheme immediately. (2) —From the Rotorua branch stating that the guaranteed price was not in accordance with the Government’s election promises, and that, in view of the increase in costs and the difficulty of obtaining suitable labour, the executive call for an immediate increase in the price for butter and cheese and for a guarantee that it will eventually be at least as much as would have been paid this year without Government interference.

(3) —A remit stating that, in the event of the average net price realised for the current season equalling or exceeding ( the guaranteed price, the individual farmer should be paid a bonus equal to the exchange premium, since all the farmers’ purchases, whether imported or locally manufactured, were loaded with this percentage, plus profit. (4) —A resolution, that mortgage reductions to the level of the present guaranteed price, which is economically unfair to the farmer in that it ties him to a depressed price lower than the awards in other sections, must be disastrous to the farmer and to the country, since it will amount to a confiscation of capital from both farmers and mortgagees. We reaffirm that the only fair solution is a raising of farm produce prices to a level which willrestore farm equities arid enable farm commitments to be met.” ' (5) —A suggestion from the Rotorua branch that an inquiry be made as to what grounds existed for taking £IO,OOO from the dairy industries fund for free milk for schools, rather than from the* vote of the Education or Health Departments or from the Consolidated Fund, was adopted. The resolutions are to be sent on to the proper authorities.