FARM INDUSTRIES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 62, Issue 4428, 21 May 1941, Page 5

FARM INDUSTRIES

GOVERNMENT POLICY IN WARTIME. STATEMENT WANTED. PRODUCERS’ CONFERENCE IN WELLINGTON. Resolutions urging that the Government should immediately and plainly state its policy for the payment and conduct of primary industries during the war were adopted at a conference of all export producing interests in New Zealand and their marketing boards, which has concluded its sittings in Wellington. The conference appointed a committee to bring together in one unit the various primary producers’ organisations and to make arrangements for the Executive Primary Producers’ Council to endeavour to forward the interests of all primary producers, and particularly, to deal with the present difficult situation. The conference was attended by representatives of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, the New Zealand Dairy Board', the New Zealand Sheep-owners’ Federation, the New Zealand Dairy Federation, the Pig Industry Council, the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation, Bobby Calf Pools, and the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. The reason for the conference, according to an official statement issued at its conclusion, was a general apprehension about the marketing of primary produce in the future.

“Information placed before the conference indicated that, while the position was a little easier, there was still little prospect of our being able to market and ship overseas the whole of our production in the 1941-42 season,” says the statement. “The conference made a detailed examination of the stock and storage position, and uneasiness was expressed at the obscurity which surrounded the Government’s intentions, and particularly at its failure to make important key policy decisions, which it was urged were absolutely necessary to enable producers to make their plans and to carry on their normal farming operations." “The statement of the Government that, if any section of producers sustained a severe loss they would not be required to carry it alone was appreciated, but representatives of all types of production agreed that this statement was too nebulous to-enable them to make any practical plans in dealing with their production, and strongly urged that the Government should immediately reduce its general statement to positive terms. It was stated that if this were not done it would be impossible for the farmers to make the necessary provision for the maintenance of their production.” LIST OF RESOLUTIONS. A delegation was appointed to wait upon the acting-Prime Minister and the Minister of Marketing and present to him the following resolutions which the conference adopted: This conference strongly affirms its adherence to the principle of producer control of the marketing of primary produce. This conference recognises the necessity during wartime for a sub-stantial-pleasure of Government control, necessitating the Government’s taking full responsibility for payment to primary producers of a price which will maintain the productive capacity of the farms in the interests of the nation. This conference recognises that an economic crisis confronts New Zealand by reason of the expectation that large quantities of exportable produce will be delayed in shipments or may be disposed of only at a heavy loss. The Government having accepted the principle that the loss should be spread as equitably as possible over the whole community, the conference urges an immediate announcement of the implementation of this policy. That as a matter of extreme urgency the Government decide and make known to the industries its policy for the disposal of primary nroducts during the coming season. That this combined conference of all sections of primary producers urges that it is of vital importance to the bobby calf industry, and because of the complete dependence of the cheese and rennet industry thereon, that decisions about the payment and conduct of the industry during the war, and for the forthcoming season in particular, be made known at the earliest moment. Further, this conference strongly supports the principle that the industry would be handled most effectively under producer control. ■