COMPENSATED PRICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22724, 10 May 1937, Page 12

COMPENSATED PRICE

FARMERS' UNION CAMPAIGN TAURANGA SYMPATHETIC [by TELEGBAPH —OWX COBEESFOXDENT] TAURANGA, Saturday The vice-president of the Auckland provincial 'Farmers' Union executive, , Mr. J. H. Furness, who is a member of the Dominion executive, addressed a meeting of farmers and townspeople on the compensated price plan for dairy producers. Mr. Furness stated that those who were leading the compensated .price campaign were not concerned with the fortunes of any political party, and their endeavour was td secure economic justice for farmers. ' His associates in the campaign had no quarrel 'with the Government, he said. He was endeavouring to organise the farmers and the nation, in order to stabilise the farming industry by securing for the farmers a reasonable return for their services, believing that national stability and prosperity could not be assured in any other way. The term compensated price was defined in four clauses, which would enable the farmers—(l) to pay a competitive rate of wages; (2) allow themselves a reasonable rate of interest upon the capital invested in farm and stock; (3) enable them to meet costs imposed by legislation, including tariffs; and (4) allow themselves a scale of remuneration commensurate with the value of the services they rendered and •with that received by other sections of the community who render equal service.

Mr. Furness answered many questions and a vote of thanks was carried by acclamation. Mr. C. E. S. Gane moved "That this - meeting is in full sympathy with the compensated price plan, and wishes the Tauranga Co-operative Dairy Company to contribute one shilling a ton on the factory's output to the fund." The motion was carried. PROMISES FULFILLED [WAIKATO MEMBER'S ASSERTION [raoir our own correspondent] PATETONGA, Saturday The member for Waikato, Mr. R. Coulter, spoke at Patetonga at a meeting which was the first of a series he intends to address during the next two months. In outlining the legislation introduced by the Labour Government the member referred to what he termed the generoua interpretation given by the Government to the guaranteed price promise, which had resulted in the payment of over £1,000,000 to the industry in excess of what the Government need have paid to honour its pre-election promise. "Moreover," continued the speaker, "at every one of over 100 meetings I addressed .during the election campaign, I suggested that the price promised would work out at about Is a pound butter-fat, and at every meeting the many farmers who discussed the matter with me were unanimously of tho opinion that with one shilling a pound their troubles would be over. But, in spite of the fact that the most generous possible interpretation of the promise made was given effect to, and that a sum of £560,000 was added to take care of rising costs, wc are still not satisfied that enough has been done in this direction. When the price for next season is announced 1 am convinced that dairy farmers generally will agree that the Government has fulfilled its,promises very faithfully and generously indeed."

At the conclusion of Mr. Coulter's address a vote of thanks, which was carried by acclamation, was moved by Mr. F. Mayrte, who complimented Mr. Coulter on his service to the electorate.