DAIRY PRODUCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21088, 14 July 1938, Page 6

DAIRY PRODUCE

Fixing the Price Wishes of Industry By Telegranb—Press Association ’ WELLINGTON. July 13. An explanation of the attitude of the primary producers on the establishment of a tribunal to fix the price of dairy produce was made at the conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. “Confusion has been created in the minds of farmers as to what actually happened at the national dairy conference at New Plymouth regarding the tribunal to fix the price of dairy produce,” the statement reads. “The published statements by Mr Savage and others have caused further confusion.”

The statement '.hen quoted the resolution carried and proceeds: “This remit was a result of a conference between six delegates from the main conference drawn from two schools of thought. As a result of the two groups coming together an agreement was

reached and the finding was carried unanlmouslyby the conference. When statements are made in high places that farmers no longer wish for a tribunal nor a Supreme Court judge to preside, that is not representing the true position. The alteration from the word tribunal to advisory body was

made chiefly because we were very anxious that there should be three assessors on each side instead of one only (with a judge) as offered by Mr Nash in his opening address, but when Mr Nash was asked if th. Government would be bound to pay out the price fixed by his suggested tribunal., he replied to the effect that that would not necessarily fellow because it would mean an alteration to the original Act. The only other alteration made by the committee was to change the term the

price should be determined for each season to the price should be recommended for each season. “Some of our friends think that we sacrificed a fundamental principle here, but to our mind that is not so. If careful thought is given to this aspect it will be found that in any case it is not

possible to appoint a body with powers supra-parliament in a democracy. Nothing vital is sacrificed. We do desire an independent body of assessors presided ovex* by a Supreme Court judge. We do want our case heard in the open with the evidence published in the press relying upon the merits of our case to inform public opinion and secure justice.”

An appeal to the Dominion conference of the Farmers’ Union to-day to present a united front with the National Dairy Conference and support the remit carried by them was carried. It was considered that the Farmers’ Union should be represented at the discussions between the delegates of the Dairy Board and the National Dairy Association when they were considering approach to the Government and the appointing of the industry’s assessors.