MR. NASH'S "MIDDLE PRICE"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23106, 3 August 1938, Page 12

MR. NASH'S "MIDDLE PRICE"

Too late for it to possess any but historical value, Mr. Nash has released the report of the special committee which advised hijn on the guaranteed prices for last dairy season. The Minister steadily resisted the demands of farmers and their organisations made last spring to publish the findings of the committee. They were denied not only any voice in fixing the price of their own produce but also the right to information on the recommendations of the committee. They were forced to accept the Minister's dictation. Mr. Nash's excuse for not publishing the report was that he did not wish to compromise or embarrass the members of the committee. The fact is that publication of the report while it was a live issue was more likely to embarrass Mr. Nash than the committee because it would have shown that he fixed the price only nine points above the committee's lowest recommendation and 56 points below the highest. No wonder the information was withheld until the season it related to was past and done with. The report of the majority (five members) placed the price of butter at 13.16 d ; of minority A (three members) at 13.57 d; and of minority B (two members) at 13.81 d. Mr. Nash'chose to fix the Government's price at 13.25 d, which he calls "a middle price." Why it should be called "a middle price" is not clear. The average of the three recommendations is 13.51 d and the weighted average, according to the number of committee members favouring each recommendation, amounts to 13.41 d. After this revelation of what Mr. Nash means by "a middle price," farmers should make quite sure that the report of this season's committee is published while it has present significance. They' would not wish to be hoodwinked twice running.