HIDES PURCHASE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21574, 9 February 1940, Page 6

HIDES PURCHASE

Lower Returns For Dairy Farmers

Many Protests Likely

By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON. February 8.

“The recent statement by the Minister of Marketing that the Government intends to take complete control of the purchase of all hides is in the nature of a shock to dairy farmers,” said Mr G. J. McLeavey, provincial president of the Manawatu Farmers’ Union, in a statement to-day. “Dairyfarmers will have to pay more proportionately than other producers for the costly machinery which is to be set up to keep their returns down. The hide is a most valuable part of the cull cow and bobby calf, and these returns all help to keep the dairy fanner going.

“If any of the big interests have put forward requests for increases these have been analysed and increases granted, but dairyfarmers’ requests have been turned down, yet the dairyfarmer is asked to subsidise both a secondary industry and its consumers. If the Government thinks it is necessary to subsidise these people it should do it from the Consolidated Fund and not at the expense of the farmer. It has been said, and I believe it to be true, that there is no need for costly organisation. Here the Government had an opportunity to satisfy the farmer that it was not in the mind of the Government completely to socialise his products. Tlie full consequences of this move have not yet been realised by the rank and file of dairyfarmers, but when they are there will be a storm of protests. “Recently farmers in my district had to fight for the principle of security of land-tenure. Farmers were greatly relieved and happy when they won out on that occasion, but now they are practically faced with something equally important, security of return from the products of their land. They will fight just as hard for this when they realise the principle involved. I am sure they will oppose this measure with the same force and unity as they displayed in the previous conflict.”