FOOD PRODUCTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 April 1944, Page 31

FOOD PRODUCTION

TO MEET BRITISH NEEDS PROPOSALS TO DAIRY INDUSTRY ' OUTLINED BY PREMIER. MEN TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM ARMED FORCES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Proposals for increasing the output of dairy products by New Zealand to meet the appeal by Great Britain for increased supplies of these products were outlined by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, in a statement last night on the eve of his departure for the United Kingdom.

They include the payment of a wage cost allowance to increase the labour reward to both workers and owners, a subsidy for the rearing of heifer calves, a rural housing scheme, priority • to dairy-farmers in the allocation of additional supplies of fertilisers, an increase in schedule rates for payments, and the setting aside of a certain amount of dairy farmers’ income for maintenance purposes when labour and material become available. To provide the additional labour required on the dairy farms, men with farming experience are to be withdrawn from the armed forces.

The Government, said the Prime Minister, had received from Britain an appeal for a substantial increase in dairy produce. Without such an increase the present meagre rations of butter and cheese could not be continued, and these rations were already down to the bare minimum considered essential for maintaining the health of our kinsfolk in the United Kingdom. “The appeal,” he added, "comes at a time when the Mother Country, with the Allied Nations, is mobilising all resources for the impending invasion of Europe and to bring the war with Germany to an early and victorious conclusion, and. for this purpose the food supply of the fighting forces of the United Nations must also be maintained. In view of its vital importance, New Zealand must not fail to meet the appeal for more dairy produce. “To assist the Government in devising ways and means of achieving the desired and imperative objective members of the Dairy Industry Council and the National Council of Primary Production were called to Wellington to confer with the Minister of Agriculture and the War Cabinet. The readiness of the industry representatives to respond to the call from Britain is expressed in the following splendid resolution unanimously passed by the conference:

“Having heard from the Prime Minister the exchange of cablegrams regarding food supplies and having heard Mr Bankes Amery, the representative of the United Kingdom Ministry of Food, this gathering of representatives of the primary producers highly resolves to do our utmost to prevent a further reduction in the rationing of food commodities to the people of Great Britain, who have saved us and saved the world.” ( MEN FROM ARMED FORCES.

“Discussions made it clear that increased production was dependent on a number of factors, particularly on finding additional manpower for the farms,” the Prime Minister continued. “To meet this need the Government has decided after consultation with and with the concurrence of the responsible authorities in the United Kingdom and the United States, to withdraw the necessary men, and particularly those with farming experience, as required from the Armed - Forces. It is fully realised that associated with, more men for the farms is the provision of both an adequate labour reward and of housing on the farms. “Fertiliser is another important requirement, and I want to say that every posisble effort is being made by the Government to obtain additional supplies. It was also apparent from the discussions that special measures should be taken to restore the depleted herds of the Dominion as quickly as possible. The conference advised the Government of a particular matter considered unfair by farmers. This was the taxation of net income of money which, but for was circumstances, would be spent on fertiliser and other essential maintenance costs.” RAISING FARM WAGES. Mr Fraser said that after full discussions with the Dairy Industry Council, the Government had decided, on the recommendation of the Economic stabilisation Commission, to adopt the following measures:— “The labour reward is to be increased by a wage cost allowance of 1.21 d per lb. butterfat so as to increase the reward of farm workers to £4 17s 6d a week, and of owners to £5 7s 6d a week. This wage cost allowance is to be paid on butterfat in all milk and cream supplied to dairy factories and manufactured into butter and cheese. Payment will be made in a similar manner* to the present farm cost allowance. This arrangement is to apply for the 1944-45 season, commencing August 1, 1944.

RELIEF FOR LOWER PAID WORKERS.

' “To meet special conditions, provision is to be made with the consent of a wages commissioner for payment of wages in excess of the minimum. A recent amendment to the Economic Stabilisation Regulations provided for review of wages in the lower categories up to £ 5 5s a week, and 1 may- add that it is the intention of the Government to take further measures to give relief generally to lower paid workers, both male and female, including a review of the basic wage. SUBSIDY ON CALVES.

“To assist the building up of dairy herds, a subsidy of £1 a head is to be paid on all heifer calves above five reared by an individual supplier in respect of individual herds. This subsidy is to be provided on the basis of two-fifths from a levy on bobby calves and three-fifths by Government contribution. The liability of the. industry is to be limited to two shillings a calf on all calves slaughtered. This arrangement is to apply for the 1944-45 season.

‘:To encourage the production of pork and bacon, there is to be an increase as from May 1 of one-halfpenny per lb. on schedule rates of all pig meats with appropriate seasonal variation. In 'addition a subsidy of £5 an

“I am confident that once again men and women in all fields of productive activity, will respond. Their devotion to the cause of world freedom has been amply demonstrated and I know that they will continue their utmost efforts without flagging till final victory is won. ■ All the people in New Zealand will thus prove worthy of our brave men who have endured and sacrificed so much for us on land, on sea and in the air, wherever a blow is being struck against Nazi and Japanese tyranny, and, above all, worthy of those who have made the supreme sacrifice that we may be free, who have died that we and those who follow us may live in a decent and worthy world.”