LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20005, 23 November 1927, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENT “Mr William Sikes”: Regret cannot make use of your verses on the jury system. IMPORTUNATE PRODUCERS Sir.—Three or .four months ago a deputation, consisting of farmers interested in the pig iaj.siug industry, waited upon the tlie Prime Alinister with a icquesl that the Government would guarantee a minimum price for purK an»u, bacon exported to ±.ngiaud on the same terms as it had guaranteed a minimum, price for apples and pears to the fruitgrowers. Mr Coates listened very cuuiveously and very sympathetically tu tne representations mauc to him and sent the mcnibeis of the deputation away in high hopes of obtaining a subsidy of some 4j2u,UUO or £30,00U towarc Lite cust of esi-aolisliiug their produce un the London market. When tne Prime Minister came to examine the proposition a little more closely, however, he realised that in the existing circumstances the scheme was not feasible. One thing that must have occurred to him was that the subsidy would penalise the community in two ways. First, in its corporate capacity as a taxpayer, it woido; have x to provide the money required for the ' subsidy, and then, in its corporate capacity as a consumer, it would have to pay more for its pork and bacon, 'higher local prices, on account of the subsidised export trade, being the most important part of the producers’ goal. Recognising these facts and, other difficulties that stood in the way, Air Coates informed tho spokesman of the deputation that he was unable to accede to their request. But now' it seems that the assault upon the Minister and incidentally, upon the taxpayer and the consume*, is to be resumed. Recently a conference of pig-growers, under the presidency of Mr W. J. Polson, the head of the Farmers’ Union, was held in Wellington for the purpose of discussing the whole purpose afresh. In opening the proceedings, Air Polson stated that

“the other day Air Coates had informed him that, if those engaged in the pig industry would submit a joint scheme, instead of half a dozen different schemes, it would have more than ais sympathy. It would have his help.” These were significant words coming from such a source, and it would not be surprising if the raid upon the Treasuiy were renewal. Air Polson expressed himself as satisfied that, if me pig growers went to thy Government with a reasonable scheme, “they would,' be given a considerable amount of assistance.” But Mr G. Eliott, the member for Oroua, who had been in company with the president of the Farmers’ Union when the Prime Alinister made his statement to that gentleman, held out little hope of anything being done for the growers during the present session. 4 ‘The House is fed up and full up of any question of control,” he declared, “It has had its experience.” But the bulk of the growers present held tenaciously to the bonus scheme. “In order to *1 save the pig industry” they finally resolved, “the Government be asked to offer a bonus sufficient to ensure to all exporters of pork a minimum net return of 5d per pound.” This, of course, is a return to the demand that was made upon the Primo Minister three or four months ago, and it is incredible that it will meet with any other response than it received then. But the closing days of a session always are perilous days, ano it behoves every member of the House to sec that no further obligations are thrust upon the taxpayers and no further charges upon the consumers at a time when their resources are being strained to the very utmost. Any proceeding of thia kind would be maidje all the more reprehensible by the fact that the Dominion pig growers generally speaking have made no serious effort to adapt their supplies to the needs of the British market. Most of their trobules are due to their own in attention to details and their lack of enterprise. SELF RELIANCE Wellington, Nov. 2L