LOWER PRICES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17410, 7 November 1930, Page 6

LOWER PRICES

CONDITIONS IN EUROPE SOVIET MACHINATIONS “MENACE TO STABILITY” “It was interesting to find that most of the European countries producing primary products were feeling the fall in prices just as much as are the farmers in New Zealand and Australia,” said the Hon. T. Shailer Weston, M.L.C., in Wellington, in giving his impressions on the economic conditions in Europe as he found them on the visit front which he has just returned. ’ “I -was lucky,” said Mr. Weston, “to be asked to join the English delegation to the International Parliamentary Conference which meets annually at Brussels to discuss economic questions. The European farmers were finding prices lower than the actual cost of production. But for this, lower wages and cheaper land in these European countries would have enabled them to face the fall in prices with less concern than ourselves.

small Farmers doing well. “In Belgium,” continued Mr. Weston, “the bigger Walloon farmers had been hard hit-by the fall in the price of wheat and the lessened demand for v farm horses throughout Europe. “The 200,000 peasant farmers depended ufion five acres’hr less for the production of market products and mijk ; were doing ,'we)l. -4-t the same time, the,Director of Agriculture in Belgium was careful to explain that they worked from daylight to dark.

“Another important matter discussed at the conference was the organised attempt of the Soviet Government to disorganise trade among the European nations by dumping and other unfair methods. This process was widespread and the delegates from all the nations unanimously ‘agreed to a resolution that the different Governments should take precautionary measures against this menace to economic stability. TRADE IN THE PACIFIC. “Coming across the Pacific,” concluded Mr. Weston, “one was impressed by the effort now being made by the United States to obtain control of trade by its mercantile marine. Heavy subsidies are being paid with this object. If our New Zealand ships are to maintain a place in the Pacific it is very necessary that New Zealand consignees when purchasing from the United States should insist on their purchases being shipped in New Zealand bottoms. If our own. merchants are not loyal to our flag, then New Zealand must abandon any ambition toward playing its part on the sea which, as an island nation, she should aspire to.”