EVIDENCE MAY BE OFFERED

Southland Times, Issue 23816, 13 May 1939, Page 8

EVIDENCE MAY BE OFFERED

OPPOSITION LEADER’S STATEMENT FARMERS’ DIFFICULTIES EMPHASIZED “I may take the opportunity to give some evidence before this royal commission myself because there are some features of the farmers’ case which I think have never been properly stated," said the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. Adam Hamilton) at a reunion luncheon of last year’s Southland farmers’ touring party yesterday. “The head of the Farmers’ Union (Mr W. W. Mulholland) is at present going round New Zealand talking about the farmers’ difficulties,” said Mr Hamilton, “and the Prime Minister has taken him to task, saying that the complaints are more political than economic. I don’t think that is so because I know something of the difficulties of the farmers. I know of no other country in the world where it is so difficult to maintain the average standard of living of the primary producers as in New Zealand. No other country is so dependent on the price obtained for primary products because of the very high percentage of such products among our exports.” . Prices could be raised artificially for wheat farmers because the whole, or practically all,- of the production of wheat could be used within the country,' but for primary products which were so largely exported for sale in open competition on the world’s market, it was very difficult to defend the farmers’ standard of living against shocks caused by reductions in prices overseas. The Dominion president of the Farmers’ Union had said that costs must be kept down so that export prices were on a reasonable basis with internal costs. It was, however, difficult to keep costs to the farmers on a basis comparative with their income. “I do not know of any other remedy than for the farmers to make their voice heard on this question. If they made their weight felt they could , still attain their objective,” Mr Hamilton said. Farmers were independent and it was difficult to get them to speak with one voice, but if they were to secure a remedy to their present position they must be prepared to stand together. “I notice that the Prime Minister is going to set up a royal commission to study the farmers’ problems,” he continued. “This is an important decision from the Prime Minister’s point of view, and the farmers want to take full notice of it and present a case without a flaw. Here is an opportunity for establishing a basis which should be authoritative for all time, and it. is up to those presenting the case to justify their claim.” It was at this stage that Mr Hamilton said he might offer some evidence to the commission. No one could question the importance of the farmers to New Zealand, he said, because 95 per cent, of the exports came from the farms. The exports were the real wealth of the country and unless the farmers were encouraged and rewarded equally with other sections of the community production must go down.