GREATER OUTPUT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23767, 21 September 1940, Page 13

GREATER OUTPUT

FAKMEBS CONCERNED MEETING AT' MATAMATA "WORKING FOR CHURCHILL" [by .TEijEOßArn—own correspondent] MATAMATA, Friday "The farmers feel nothing but a sense of frustration. Nowhere have the farmers worked harder than in this district. But every promise made to us has been cancelled out. 1 would ask the member for Tauranga to tell us if the Government is in earnest when it urges us tcf'incrense production." This was a question put to Mr. F. W. Doidge, M.P., after he had addressed a crowded meeting of farmers at Matamata on the subject of increased agricultural effort.

"Tlio answer is not easy," replied Mr. Doidge, "because it would involve an excursion into politics, and politics must not be allowed to interfere with production. Our main purpose is to help the Motherland. But when I am asked if the Government to sincere in its desire for increased production I would remind my audience that the Government receives £65,000.000 a year from the overseas sales of our primary products. We have no other source of revenue. Let there be no mistake, therefore, of the deep intensity of the Government's desire to see that source of revenue not only maintained, but increased." "The position in regard to overseas markets is full of complexities," continued Mr. Doidge. "and it is necessary that we should take a long view. In North and South America there is a wheat glut. South America, in particular, is gorged with meat and wheat. It is essential that Britain should retain the goodwill of these countries, hut it is going to be difficult to do so if the British blockade keeps them out of Europe for a long period. Britain, in her effort to placate those countries, may to some extent penalise us. "But as against that possibility is the certainty that, the moment the war ends, a starving Europe will have to be fed. During the two years which followed the close of the last war, the United States alone sent to Europe 5'1.000,000,000 dollars worth of foodstuffs. The position in Europe at the ond of this war will be infinitely worse than it was at the end of the last war. "But our main consideration is Britain. Even if we should produce more than Britain needs, it is better to be sure than sorry," concluded Mr. Doidge. "At the risk of introducing politics," declared a Ptitaruru farmer at the end of Mr. Doidge's speech, "I want to make it plain that in this drive for increased production I'm working for Winston Churchill" —a remark which was received with a round of applause.