LACK OF POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25881, 27 June 1945, Page 4

LACK OF POLICY

GOVERNMENT CRITICISED FARMERS PERTURBED PRODUCTION LOSS FEARED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 26. After discussing the shortages of man-power, coal, and electricity, the National Dairy Conference to-day appointed a committee of 12 as a deputation to bring before the Government immediately the necessity for a definite plan for primary production in the coming season. The discussion, which arose out of a meeting in Hawera last Wednesday, was given precedence over other conference business. Mr Morgan said that the last callup of men for military service had created more trouble than any other during the war. Farmers did not know how to carry on. If they knew what the future was to be they could plan for it. They felt it was time to ask the Government for some definite statement. Indiscriminate Call-up Mr E. B. Corbett, M.P., said that in Taranaki as much butter would be lost through the last indiscriminate call-up as was gained through the extra butter rationing. What had taken place showed a definite lack of policy. Other speakers stressed the handb caps under which farmers were suffering as a result of the coal and electricity shortages. Earlier in his address to the conference, the Minister of Agriculture, Mr B. Roberts, had stated that he was not unmindful of the labour difficulty, especially in relation to the increased production targets, but since 1943, 14.000 men had returned to the farms and 4000 had been taken off them, so that there was an increase of 10,000 on the land since 1943. In addition, when shipping was available 20,000 men were coming back, plus 6000 to 7000 returned men from prison camps, some of whom would return to farms. Discussing the same subject in his address, the chairman, Mr F. Parsons, said the outlook for the coming season was not bright. Many herds were going out of production owing to the uncertainty of obtaining labour. Last year men returning from the Pacific had filled the gap and kept many farms in production, but the last callup had made the position very insecure and unsatisfactory, not only on the farms but in the factories. “Don’t let us get our tails down, however; we have gone through a lot in the last six years and we will still carry on and do our best because the people of Britain must have butter and cheese,” he said. Miners Blamed

Referring to the suspension of the conference last year because of the lack of transport, Mr Parsons said he felt that if the coal industry put its back into it as the dairy farmers had done there would be no rail transport problem. , , . At another stage, a delegate referring to a remark by the Minister about increased coal production, said the increase was not attributable to the miners, but to the contractors and others working open cast mines. The per head production of the miners had decreased. . , , Replying, the Minister said: I admit that the miners could work a bit better Some of us get a bit hot under the collar when they go to the races, but we want to look at both sides. Both the miners and the farmers have made a good contribution. We dont help our own case by blackening the other fellow. I don’t think many of us want to go down a. mine. I haven t seen many volunteering.”