FARMERS' CASE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23807, 13 May 1939, Page 21

FARMERS' CASE

INQUIRY BY COMMISSION COMMENT BY MR HAMILTON MAY GIVE EVIDENCE (Per United Press Association) INVERCARGILL, May 12. " I may take the opportunity to give some evidence before this Royal Commission myself, because there are some features of the farmers' case which I think have never been properly stated," said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Adam Hamilton) to-day, commenting on the decision of the Prime Minister (Mr M J. Savage) to appoint a Royal Commission to investigate the position of the sheep farmers. "The head of the Farmers' Union (Mr W. W. Mulholland) is at present going round New Zealand talking about the farmers' difficulties," Mr Hamilton said, "and the Prime Minister has taken him to task, saying that his complaints are more political than economic. I don't think that is so, because I know something of the difficulties of the farmers. I know of no other country in the world where it is so difficult to maintain the average standard of living of the primary producers as in New Zealand No other country is so dependent on the' price obtained for its primary products because of the very high percentage of such products among our exports." External Influence Prices could be raised artificially for the wheat farmers, Mr Hamilton said, because the whole, or practically all, of the production of wheat could - be used within the country, but for primary products which were so largely exported for sale in open competition on the world market it*was very difficult to defend the farmers' standard of living against the shocks caused by reductions in prices overseas. The president of the Farmers' Uniotf had said that costs must be kept down so that export prices were on a reasonable basis with internal costs. It was, however, difficult to keep costs to farmers on a basis comparative with theip income. " I clo not know any other remedy than for the farmers to make their voice heard on this question. If they made their weight felt they could still attain their objective, Mr Hamilton said. The farmers were independent, and it was difficult to get them to speak with one voice, but if they were to secure a remedy for their present position they must be prepared to stand together (Opportunity for Farmers " I notice that the Prime Minister is going to set up a royal commission to study the farmers' problems," he continued. "This is an important decision from the Prime Minister's point of view, and the farmers want to take full notice of it and present a case without a flaw. Here is an opportunity for establishing a basis which should be authoritative for all time, and it is up to those presenting the case to justify their claim." THE FEILDING MEETING REPLY TO MR SAVAGE 'TWO PARAMOUNT POINTS (Pee United Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 12. "Mr Savage's statement on the fanners' meeting at Feilding calls for a reply, and. on behalf of the Feilding branch which called the meeting, I would like to make it," said Mr Lloyd Hammond, ex-provin-cial president of the Wellington central province to-day. "It should be noted that the meeting was convened by the Feilding branch, its chairman (Mr J. Richardson) being in the chair. Another point is that Mr Mulholland was invited to be present at the meeting. He had nothing to do with convening it. " It is interesting to note also that Mr Savage has now completely thrown over his insulation theory and appears to realise that export prices do have a bearing on the economic condition of the country So far as the number of farmers present is concerned, that is no concern of the Dominion president, and, of there is any question about it. I for one would be prepared to accept the estimate of the Mayor of Feilding who was present at the meeting. The Farmers' Union has always said that the farm labourer was not getting as much in wages as he ought and the industry should be put in a position to pay higher wages. "Of course, Mr Mulholland's spech was political," Mr Hammond said. "It would have been of little use if it had not, but no one can point to anything in it of a party political nature, and I defy Mr Savage to point to any party politics in it. "Mr Savage says that he does not want to force anything on the sheep farmer." Mr Hammond added. "Why, then, does he object to the holding of these meetings (which are open to all farmers) to determine the desire of the sheep industry? Is Mr Savage disssatisfied because the verdict has gone against him? The Government has only itself to thank for this, because the sheep farmer feels that there are two paramount considerations affecting the' position. Jhe first is that he should not be asked to buy a pig in a poke and that the Prime Minister i should make an offer so that he would know what he was getting but Mr Savage wants the farmer to sign a sale note before he is told the price The second is that, if the Government is so hard up that it cannot find £1,000,000 for the dairy industry, how on earth can it find the £5.000,000 which would be necessary to give a decent guaran- | teed price for meat and wool? "