HUGE CROWD AT MEETING

Southland Times, Issue 23991, 5 December 1939, Page 8

HUGE CROWD AT MEETING

TOWN AND COUNTRY UNITE NEED FOR REVISION OF LEGISLATION OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY MANY SPEAKERS (United Press Association) HAMILTON, December 4. A crowd estimated at between 5000 and 6000 persons gathered at the mass meeting at Claudelands this afternoon when various speakers spoke on the need for revision of certain legislation, more particularly that relating to import control. Throughout the crowd was very orderly, only isolated heckling being apparent. The Mayor of Hamilton (Mr H. D. Caro) said it was gratifying to see that the town and country had united in organizing the meeting, the first of its kind in New Zealand. It showed that farmers realized the difficulties of town people and those living in towns appreciated the difficulties facing farmers. It was only by united action that people could help each other. Mr Caro added that the meeting was strictly non-political.

Mr B. W. Woodhams, speaking on behalf of retailers, said: “The retailer fully realizes that some form of import control and restriction is necessary at the present time and he believes the system now in force is a genuine endeavour to cope with a most difficult situation. But we feel it is our duty to point out what we consider the effect of the present control scheme will be.

“We feel that the curtailment of supplies will become so serious within a few months that the majority of businesses will be unable to avoid retrenching severely in all directions. In connection with the operation of the present import control scheme we should like to appeal for less rigid interpretation. We suggest that instead of taking one year’s imports as the basis for issuing licences an average of at least two years’ total imports should be used. Where only one year is used any anomalies in quantities of goods ordered in that particular year are perpetuated. A further suggestion we make is that licences for various tariff items should be interchangeable. This would not increase the total value of licences issued. We think that consideration should be given to the idea of allocating an amount of sterling to each retailer for each period and giving much more latitude to the, individual as to what he actually imports.” FARMERS’ OPINIONS Mr A. J. Sinclair, on behalf of the farmers, held that during the last three years the butter production had declined by 30,360 tons and cheese by 315 tons, and that this represented a loss of 424,000,000 in our sterling funds in London. “Had the industry continued to expand at a normal rate there would have been at least £7,000,000 additional in our sterling funds today and this meeting would not have been necessary. Here let me say a word to the farmers whom I represent today. There is no intention at this meeting of asking for the lifting of the import restrictions. Mr Gainor Jackson will tell you, on behalf of the importers and merchants of Auckland city, that they realize this would be a calamity at the present juncture and that they know’ there is only one method by which the import restrictions can be safely lifted, namely, by an increase in the exports of primary* produce sufficient to rehabilitate sterling funds in London. On behalf of the farmers, I assure the business people that if they will aim at that objective the farmers will be behind them to a man. The Government is asking for our co-operation. We point out that co-operation is two-sided and we ask for the co-operation of the Government. The farmers refuse to be impressed, for instance, by Mr Savage’s messages over the air, while he permits his friend, Mr Scrimgeour, to pttack the farmers and farmers’ organizations_over the air with his poisonous propaganda.” THREE RESOLUTIONS Three resolutions were passed by the meeting. The first was on behalf of importers, employers, small retailers and builders: “That this meeting declares that citizens in this part of the Dominion are ready and willing to co-operate with the remainder of the community upon a broad national and strictly constitutional basis in any efforts that may be made to restore overseas funds from a shortage of which the community as a whole must inevitably suffer. Further, this meeting requests the Government to take steps to alleviate such of the wrongs from which the community is suffering as can be remedied immediately and asks the Government for an assurance that it will call a halt in its policy of deliberately controlling the whole economic structure of this Dominion under the guise of a war emergency.”

The resolution on behalf of the employees was as follows:.

“That this mass meeting of employees of retail businesses in Waikato expresses its immediate concern as to their future employment and urges the Government to modify the import control regulations.”

The following resolution was moved by Mr A. J. Sinclair, of Te Awamutu, and seconded by Mr W. N. Perry, of Cambridge: ' “That this meeting of Waikato farmers desires to impress upon the Government that the constant rises in internal costs and the lack of adequate skilled labour on farms through men being attracted to other avenues of industry by higher wages and shorter hours, have defeated the principles of the guaranteed price scheme and are creating an injustice to the community by discouraging that increased production which a well-conceived Government policy would have fostered, thus creating a potential loss of millions of pounds in sterling funds. Further, under the existing circumstances we are compelled to ask the Government for a clear statement specifying its intentions in the direction of reducing costs on farms and up to the point of shipment and outlining the steps it intends to take towards placing the farming community in a position to secure adequate skilled labour at rates and conditiojis comparable .with those

enjoyed by other sections of the community giving equal service.” MOST SHOPS CLOSED The meeting was sponsored by the Hamilton Retailers’ Association on behalf of merchants, employers of labour, employees and farmers. The majority of shops in Hamilton, Te Awamatu, Morrinsville, Matamata and Otorohanga closed and hundreds of people from these towns attended the meeting, as well as large numbers of farmers. Definite opposition to the meeting was expressed last week by the Waikato District Trades Council, which invited the Labour movement and supporters of the Government to ignore the meeting entirely. The workers’ emergency committee issued a circular and held a meeting of shop assistants endeavouring to organize them in an effort not to attend the meeting. Yesterday morning notices of a threatening nature appeared on shop windows, pasted on by unidentified persons.