FARMERS WARNED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19885, 11 March 1939, Page 5

FARMERS WARNED

NEED FOR PREPARATION

MEAT TRADE RESTRICTION

PROSPECT OF CONTROL

LESS PRIVATE DEALING

(Pur Press Association.) DUNEDIN, this day

The contention that unless farmers organised promptly to meet the situation that would arise when the re-cently-imposed restriction on meat exports became noticeable there was a grave danger of private dealing in meat being at least very seriously reduced' was made -by the Dominion president of the Farmers' Union, Mr. W. W. Mulholland, in an address at a Farmers' Union conference held at Balclutha last night.

Mr. Mulholland assured the farmers present that there was nothing to be gained from leaving the matter to politicians.

"This year the restrictions will probably* not be felt," said Mr. Mulholland* "but when you remember that oiir quota is 3 per cent less than trie "figure for one of bur' worst seasons for a long time, it will be seen that we need only to have a normal production season and we will feel it badly. There will be meat produced that will not be able to find a market. . No Need for Panic "It is nothing to get into a panic about. It is something for us to do something about, not to leave it to politicians. "We have lately had the spectacle of two politicians arguing about what one of them said in 1933, but we are not interested in that. What we want to know is what is going to happen in 1940."

If unsaleable meat were allowed to go on. the market it would reduce the price for all classes of meat, Mr. Mulholland said. How was it to be taken off the market? he asked.

The farmers had until next season to think out a plan and if they had not their plan ready to go into operation immediately the crisis came, something would have to be done and it would be done by the Minister of Marketing. The farmers had the choice of making such arrangements as would , enable them to keep control or giving control to the Government.

The Meat Board had a grave weakness in that there were several members who represented interests other than those of the farmers and those interests would\ fight tooth and nail to maintain their business, making an unbiassed decision impossible. The grave danger was that private dealing in meat would be abolished or at least very seriously reduced.