“POLICY SHOULD BE ALTERED”

Southland Times, Issue 23969, 8 November 1939, Page 4

“POLICY SHOULD BE ALTERED”

GOVERNMENT AND THE FARMERS SERIOUSNESS OF WARNING EMPHASIZED (Special to The Times) WELLINGTON, November 7. “The announcement that the rationing of butter aqd bacon has been introduced in England emphasizes the seriousness of the warning given the Government by the farmers’ deputation last week,” says an official statement of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. “It now behoves every farmer in New Zealand who is producing these products to do his utmost to produce more and it behoves the Government to take effective steps to bring the cost of production of these commodities into line with their prices. Unless the Government takes the effective action referred to, the farmers of this country will not be able to carry out properly their duty to New Zealand and to the Empire. “The union is confident that notwithstanding the handicap under which the farmers—particularly the dairy farmers—are working, they will loyally strive to produce to the utmost extent of their ability. “It should be emphasized also that the farming community is willing cheerfully to bear its rightful share of any sacrifices which the war .makes necessary. The farmers’ contention is, however, that up till the present time these sacrifices are not being borne equally, and quite apart from the dairy farmer, who is now expected tq produce for the same price when costs are much higher, the case of the fruit grower is the. most glaring. The fruit growers of New Zealand are compelled to make the extreme sacrifice of losing their overseas market in order that the other producers of New Zealand may be able to ship their produce. This sacrifice on the part of the orchardists should be borne equally by the whole community, and the prchardists should not be asked to bear the whole of the loss. , “We would reiterate, continues the statement, “that the farming community will at all times strive to produce in the quantities which Great Britain so urgently requires, but we feel that the policy of the Government should be altered so that farmers may be able to perform that duty to the Empire which this emergency demands.”