PRICE GUARANTEE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23431, 22 August 1939, Page 11

PRICE GUARANTEE

SUGGESTED ABOLITION FARMERS' UNION OPPOSITION OBJECTIONS TO INADEQUACY [I!Y TEIiEGIIAPH—PItESS ASSOCIATION] INVERCARGILL, Monday A statement tliafc the Fanners' Union on no occasion had advocated tlio abolition of the guaranteed price for dairy produce was made by Mr. A. P. O'Slioa, Dominion secretary of the union, this evening. He stated that what the union objected to was the inadequacy of the price. "Tho union has been quoted as attacking the guaranteed price, and itself has been made the object of a deliberate* attack," said Mr. O'Shea. "Before the Prime Minister made his statement that the Government would have to look into the question of ending the guaranteed price scheme the only resolutions passed by the Farmers' Union were that the recommendations of the Price Advisory Committee should be adhered to, and these wore exactly in line with the resolutions passed by the South Island Dairy Association, the Dairy Board Conference and the National Dairy Conference. "Therefore when the Government attacks the Farmers' Union on its attitude to the guaranteed price it attacks the whole dairy industry. Mr. O'Shea referred to statements made bv tho Dominion president of the union, 'Mr, W. W. Mulholland, about the guaranteed prico scheme. He said Mr. Mulholland as ft believer in cooperative enterprise had stated that if the Government was prepared to hand back control to tho dairy farmers lie personally would welcome it. Hie president was expressing his own personal opinion which, however, was absolutely in lino with tho union's policy. Mr. Mulholland was one of tho leaders of thought as applied to co-operation in Now Zealand. "There has been a suggestion by one member of tho Government that because of tho union's attitude what is termed in trado union circles a 'scab' union of farmers should be formed,' said Mr. O'Shea. "I wonder what the Government would think if the leaders of tho Farmers' Union suggested that the same course should be taken among the workers." Mr. O'Shea added that resolutions carried by tho big dairy factory companies in Taranaki had supported the union, but these resolutions had received no publicity in the press.