APPEAL TO FARMERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19377, 15 July 1937, Page 15

APPEAL TO FARMERS

SUPPORT TO GOVERNMENT ADDRESS BY MINISTEROBJECTIVES OF POLICY (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The hope that there would be full co-operation between the Government and the farmers was voiced by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, in addressing the New Zealand Farmers’ Union conference. Without that co-operation, he said, the Government could not hope to achieve wiiat it desired, namely, economic security and social justice for every person who rendered service to his fellow beings. He claimed that as a financial member of the union iie had been loyal to unionism principles. From the farmers’ viewpoint, the agricultural and pastoral situation, although not without difficulties, was fairly satisfactory. Farmers must have been gratified by Ihe new quota on meat imports from Britain and the increases in the number of sheep meant an increase in the potential mutton and lamb exports. , Room For Improvement

There was still room for an improvement in the quality of chilled beef, and in regard to bacon, the question of quality exports could not be too strongly emphasised owing to the increasingly tense competition on the British market.

The violent fluctuations of the butter market provided an illustration of the value of the guaranteed price. When the markets were subject to precipitous price movements, the producer was left in a position of bewildering uncertainty, and the Government said the farmer should not be left to the mercies of such a market.

“The whole basis of our plan is economic and social justice, and when you are considering the position of the farmer under the new legislation, I hope you will look at the complete picture,” lie said. “Questions of mortgage adjustments and interest rates, for example, must also be taken into consideration before a final verdict can be given by any of us. The Minister quoted figures to show in respect to the butter pay-out that there had been an ample margin over the guarantee.