FARMERS INCENSED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26227, 10 August 1946, Page 7

FARMERS INCENSED

REFUSAL OF INCREASES MANY PROTEST MEETINGS LONDON, Aug. 8. Following the refusal of Mr Tom Williams, Minister of Agriculture, to meet the National Farmers’ Union on the revision of farm prices, two of Surrey’s war agricultural executive committees have “ temporarily suspended activity.”. Protest meetings are being held, and a full meeting of the council -of the National Farmers’ Union will be held on August 15, to which 250 chairmen and vice-chairmen of county branches have been invited. •Mr Geoffrey Browne, National Farmers’ Union economic officer, defining the issue, said the Minister’s recent revision of produce prices, based on high wages for agricultural labourers, did not make provision for the labour of members of a farmer’s family. The debating group of the East Suffolk branch telegraphed the National Farmers’ Union: “We deplore the failure of the negotiations. The farmers of East Anglia are seething with discontent under a grave injustice and are ready to back you to the limit.”. . ■■ "■ ■’

At Newbury, Berkshire, farmers’ wives and daughters joined their men folk in a protest meeting which carried unanimously a resolution that “ unless the Government accedes to the just demands of the National Farmers’ Union by August 15 union headquarters should immediately order farmers to withhold all supplies.”