FARMERS’ PARTY

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11874, 7 July 1924, Page 6

FARMERS’ PARTY

REPLY TO MINISTER. OTHER ASSERTIONS BY HON. W. NOSWORTHY DENIED. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, July 6. The general manager of the Farmer*’ Fertilizer Company, Mr Wilson replying to the statement of Hon. W Nosworthy, Minister for Agriculture, in tho House in regard to the Farm! ers Party and the directors of the company, said that the directors numbered twelve, of whom two were asm, ciat-ed with the party. It was obvious the Minister was confusing Mr M» Hardiflg, one of the directors, with Mr A. E. Harding, provincial president of the Farmors’ Union. The Minister claimed that on one ocoasion ho was successful in getting the - company to reduce the price ot fertilizer by 5s per ton. MINISTER CONTRADICTED. Mr Wilson said -that at no time had the company been influenced by the opinion of—the—Minister in fixing the pricea-'The prices had been fixed from time to time as a business proposition Without any. consideration of political influences. As, .to the innuendo that tho company was exploiting the farmers, the company’s balance-sheet for thrfee years of manufacturing should be sufficient evidence that the prices had always been moderate, and so far shareholders had received no dividend.

He finished by saying, tnat the product was sold to-day at about 5 per oent. above the. pre-war rates, and tak ng into consideration tho higher costs of production and'marketing this compared favourably with pre-war rates.