FARMERS’ STRIKE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19584, 16 March 1938, Page 5

FARMERS’ STRIKE

OTAGO PROPOSAL METHOD OF PROTEST HIGH COSTS RESENTED A SUGGESTED REMEDY INCREASE IN EXCHANGE (Special to the Herald.) DUNEDIN, this day. A statement that the best thing the farmer could do would be to go on strike for a week was made by Mr. R. J. E. Smith when the recent tariff increases and a proposal to ask the Government to raise the rate of exchange were being discussed at a meeting of the Otago provincial council of the New Zeaalnd Farmers’ Union yesterday.

The uselessness of further protests to the Government, the subject of its broken promises, and the farmer’s just cause to “growl” at the present conditions were all introduced into a lively discussion before it was finally decided, on a majority vote, that the Dominion executive should be asked to approach the Government to have the rate of exchange raised to offset the high costs to farmers caused by increased tariffs and recent legislation, with a compensating reduction in duty on Britisn goods.

Mr. R. S. Thompson said that to offset the increased tariffs, which would mean higher costs to the farmer, the Government should be asked to raisethe rate of exchange.

Mr. A. Renton: The Government promised to lower the exchange, not to raise it.

Mr. Thompson: The farmers would all be bankrupt if the Government d-.d not do something to assist them. Drastic Stand Needed “The time has arrived,” Mr. Smith said, “when farmers’ protests to the Government are useless. The waste paper baskets must be full of farmers’ protests that have been ignored by the Government. All over the country we are being referred to as the ‘growling farmer,’ and this is because thou sands of people do not kno.v what vre have to contend with. I hey know nothing of the rising costs. The farmer has just cause to growl, and it is time something was done.

Mr. J. McK. Morgan: They should strike.

“That would be the best thing they could do,” Mr. Smith replied. “The wharf labourers and butchers strike. Why not the farmer? If we went on strike for a week we would get what we wanted, and it could be done quite easily. We shall have to take a drastic stand sooner or later.”

Mr. Thompson: The shortest cut is to raise the exchange rate.

Mr. Smith said that if they did that they would have all the British people against them. It was too late to raise the exchange now that all the wool and meat had been sold. It would only penalise other people. The motion indicated above was then carried, about three members dissenting.