PRODUCER AND CONSUMER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17947, 26 November 1932, Page 6

PRODUCER AND CONSUMER

BRIDGING A WIDE GAP DISTRICT FARMERS’ PROTEST PREMIER REPLIES FORMALLY AVli(mi general business was under discussion rut to-day’s .annual meeting of the Gisborne Sheepfarmers ’ Frozen meat and Mercantile .Company, Limited, .Mr Francis 'Stafford suggested that the meeting would be interested to hear the .outcome of a recommendation carried at last year’s meriting respecting the problems of marketing Xctv Zealand produce in overseas countri'tis. Mr Stafford recalled that a committee had beep appointed to initiate some discussion of these problems ami to devise if possible some proposals Chat might: lead to results in the matter of decreasing the margin between the producers’ receipts and the consumers ’ expenses in regard to the produce of this Dominion. At the request of the -chairman, the manager of the company, Mr A. F. Salmon, read the following communication to the Prime .Minister, which set out .the results of the committee’s work: — “At the last annual meeting of the Gisborne Shoepfarmers ’ Frozen meat and Mercantile Company, Limited, a committee was set up »to inquire into the marketing costs of farm produce, in an endeavor to bridge the gap between producer and consumer insofar as it concerns meat, wool ami other ilariu produce. This committee met. recently and invited delegates from the local branches of the Poverty Bay Farmers’ Union, the Gisborne and East Coast Shoe'powner.s’ Union, and the A. and P. Association. The enlarged committee passed unanimously the following resolution: — “‘That the production of wool, meat and other farm produce is greatly in excess of the returns to the farmers for such produce; that' the retail costs to the consumer of leather, woollen goods and foodstuffs are not in keeping with the ruturns to the producer; therefore we respectfully ask that the Dominion Government will take such steps as will greatly reduce the margin 'between the returns to the producer and the cost to the consumer.’ ’’ The communication, which was dispatched prior to the departure of the New Zealand delegation to the Ottawa (ton fere nee, suggested that the delegation lie asked to support any scheme of Imperial marketing, the stabilisation of prices on the IDEM imsis, an assessed and managed currency for the British Empire at least:, and a modification of the burden of war debts. A further recommendation was that the Now Zealand Government should support the formation of an Empire Tariff Board to deal with Empire tariffs and the establishment of some form of managed currency, which it was claimed could materially assist to extricate the New Zealand 'farmers from their present plight. Appended to the letter was the Premier’s reply, indicating that the 10presentations contained in the resolution have been duly noted and will receive careful consideration.’’ The chairman of directors, Mr 11. B. Williams, commented that the matter did not appear to have made much progress, but the committee asked for by the shareholders' had done what, it could to advance the discussion.