NO TRIBUNAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23073, 25 June 1938, Page 14

NO TRIBUNAL

FUTURE DAIRY PRICES STAND BY GOVERNMENT THE FARMERS' DECISION " A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE " [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Friday ' In view of the decision of tha National Dairy Conference to turn down the Government's offer of a tribunal presided over by a Supreme Court Judge to fix the guaranteed price for dairy produce for next season the previous method of determining the price will be retained. The Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, said to-day that the conference's decision was tantamount to a vote of confidence in the Government's system. The Government had no desire to shelter behind any tribunal. The suggestion of a tribunal came from the farmers themj selves. They now said they still wanted a Supreme Court Judge, but that the Government should have the last say. He would think they had more confidence in the Government than in a tribunal. The Government would take all the evidence the farmers cared to offer, Mr. Savage continued, hut it would be its responsibility to fix the price. It did not want a Supreme Court Judge. The Government would accept the responsibility to take evidence, appoint suitable men to listen to it and advise the Government. The desire was to do justice to the dairy farmer. If the dairy farmers' decision was not a vote of confidence in the Government, the Prime Minister added, then he did not know the meaning of the words.