“N.Z. FARMER LET DOWN”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18581, 15 December 1934, Page 6

“N.Z. FARMER LET DOWN”

POLITICIANS SURRENDERED LORD LEAVERBROOIvS VIEW LETTER TO GISBORNE Strong views on tTie treatment of the New Zealand fanner in regard to produee supplies to the United Kingdom were expressed by Lord Beaverbrook in a letter to the Poverty Bay provincial executive of the Fanners’ Union which met' to-day.

Tlie letter was in reply to one sent from thy executive complimenting Lord Beaverbrook on his stand for the Dominion farmers and urging that he should continue with his good work. Lord Beaverbrook’s reply accused “some of your own politicians” for “letting their farmers down.” Ho wrote: —

“It is, of course, a wicked tiling that New Zealand beef producers should enjoy no tariff advantage in this market. It is stilj more scandalous that there should be a proposal to impose quotas on Now Zealand produce.

"I have said all this on public platforms repeatedly. The newspapers with which 1 am associated never cease to say it in their editorial columns.

“You have the people in this country with you. They understand your point of view. They sympathise with your just claims on the British 'Government. They have not fallen into the error of supposing that there is nothing to choose between a New Zealander who pays his debts, and stood beside us in the war, and an Argentine who does not pay what lie owes and remains neutral in wartime. “I am .convinced that; .we could have mobilised this opinion very rapidly into a. political movement so formidable that the Government could not; have resisted our demands. “But we were embarrassed by one circumstance. The New Zealand farmers wore iot down by some of your own. 'politicians.. They .surrendered to the British Government. They repudiated those of us who were working for the Empire.

“ Li the face of that wo could make little headway.

“Perhaps the situation wil’ improve again. Tn any case, wo mean to fight along and one of Hie biggest assets wc have to epablo us to plead the Empire cause is the wide public sentiment iri favor of the Dominion of New Zealand. ” Mr. .T. C. Field moved that the secretary lie instructed to write to Lord Beaverbrook thanking him for liis untiring efforts on behalf of the Dominion.

Mr. J. E. jtrosnahan And his very candid opinion. Mr. .T. C. Field said the position was shocking, and drew attention to Mr. J. S. .Tessep’s statement regarding Australian beer exports on a very liberal estimate.

Mr. F. S. Jlowen said that Mr. Jessep’s remark concerning the liberal estimate was not correct. When the speaker was in Wellington, he was assured by Mr. David Jones, chairman of the Meat Board, that New Zealand had no say in the matter. New Zealand and Australia had no right to say what they would send.

The president, Mr. ,J. E. Benson, said ho believed the Meat Board was doing its best for the producers. Mr. Field referred to the apathy o) the farmer. , The president: "What do you mean by apathy?

Mr. 'Field said it was all very well sitting down and protecting the Meat Board. The meeting should forward Mr. .Tessep’s announcement to the board so that. it. would have an opportunity) to refute it.

The discussion lapsed shortly after without any resolution being passed.