FARMERS' OFFER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19918, 21 April 1939, Page 7

FARMERS' OFFER

FOREGO RISE IN COSTS

NEW SEASON'S PRICE

BASIS ON STANDARDS

COMMITTEE'S PROPOSAI

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day

The special committee set up by the dairy conference yesterday to bring down one comprehensive report dealing with the guaranteed price, presented it to-day. The point was made by the chairman, Mr. W. Marshall, in so doing, that the report gave expression to the dairymen's willingness to reciprocate in the aim of the Minister of Finance to reduce costs in New Zealand and, consequently, set out that, as a practicable measure of co-operation with the Minister, the conference offer to forego the ascertainable increases in costs and to accept ifor the 1939-40 season the standards and prices recommended by the 1938 advisory committee.

Mr. Marshall pointed out that the conference could not turn a deaf ear to Mr. Nash's plea to bring about some stability, and it was recognised that in the end all costs would ultimately come back on to the farmer. Although the committee recommended the 1939-40 price as above, the report nevertheless endorsed as correct the standards and conclusions as recorded by the 1938 guaranteed price investigation committee, and protested against an alteration «of suleh standards and prices by the Minister of Marketing. It also set out that it was unable to agree to the Minister's suggestion that the prices fixed by the Government for the current season should be continued for the 1939-40 season, and that a price to do justice to the producer and tb give effect to the provisions of the .Primary Products Marketing 'Act should be the price recommended by the 1938 advisory committee, plus the ascertainable increases in costs. Mr. Marshall stated that if the Government agreed to pay the price for next season, as recommended, it would be an increase of .7ld on the current season's price

The report also requested the board, in collaboration with the representative committee, to continue negotiations with the Minister. The report was adopted unanimously and enthusiastically. There was very little discussion.

The point was made that the dairy industry alone should not make a sacrifice to reduce costs, but would "make a sacrifice if other sections of the community walked with it step by step. The suggestion was made that if the Government did not agree to tlie committee's recommendation, the conference should re-assemlble, but this was regarded as a threat to the Government by some delegates, and the matter was left in the hands of the Dairy Board.

CONTROLLED ECONOMY

SELF-DISCIPLINE NEEDED

N A TIONAL INTER ESTS

(Reed. .April 20, 3 p.m.) LONDON, April 20.

The Times devotes a leading article to the appeal to dairy farmers by the New Zealand Minister of Finance and Marketing, Mr. W. Nash, and his warning of the difficulty Jn maintaining an even balance in controlled economy in the face of sectional interests.

The Times says: "The farmers and trades unions are each justifying the demand for ia larger slice of the national cake by the increased living and production costs resulting from the concessions given to each other. The difficulty is not insuperable, but both elements must recognise thai national interests outweigh sectional ones.

"The manner in which the difficulties otf State marketing will be met will test the self discipline which is essential for the success of planned and controlled economy in a democracy."