“Ministers Don’t Realise Position,” F.U. Secretary Says

Northern Advocate, 10 November 1939, Page 2

“Ministers Don’t Realise Position,” F.U. Secretary Says

[Special to “Northern Advocate”'} AUCKLAND, This Day. “The Prime Minister has said either too much or too little.”

The Auckland Provincial Secretary of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union (Mr A. E. Robinson) stated this m commenting on the statement made by Mr Savage. “The Farmers’ Union has declared its willingness to co-operate; indeed, spontaneous resolutions from all parts of the country were passed making this clear as soon as war was declared,” he said.

“Mr Savage says that if private enterprise cannot provide the production promised by the Government, the State will have to consider other methods of doing the job. Don’t Appreciate Position, “That is a statement that could only be made honestly and seriously if Mr Savage knows how to increase production under existing circumstances, “Coupled with the statement made by the Minister for Marketing (Mr Nash) that low prices during the slump created increased production, Mr Savage’s threat to take other methods than 'private enterprise can take, shows, I think, that neither the Prime Minister nor the Minister for Marketing appreciates the actual situation of the dairying industry. Depression Increase. “During the depression men worked for low wages, even for ‘tucker,’ in seme cases.

“Interest and rates were not paid. “The bobby calf industry "bad not provided cash incentive towards the killing of calves, and dairying replacements were available. “Thus, although the production per cow dropped during the early slump period, the number of cows milked increased by 500.000 in the years reviewed by Mr Nash. “But this was a changeover from sheep to a groat extent, as the flocks of the Dominion decreased by over 3,000,000 between 1930 and 1933. Cows in Milk Lower. “There is no reservoir of 500,000 heifers above normal replacements in sight now. “As a matter of fact, the number of cows in milk has been steadily lessening,” he added. Mr Robinson said emphatically that the farmers were not satisfied with the guaranteed price. “The price should be sufficient to cover the rise in costs which has taken place during the last two years,” he said. Source cf Extra Money. When asked to explain how the additional money could be paid, seeing that Mr Nash had announced that the United Kingdom Government had not offered New Zealand a price as high as was now being paid to the farmer, Mr Robinson replied by asking another question: “How does the Government pay the extra money to Public Works employees and others?” “It comes out of taxation,” he continued. “It is the Government’s business to say where the money is coming from. “More money will be created against the increased value of gold, and this will be used as a basis for the ci’eation of more money.