PRIMARY PRODUCTION NEEDS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 180, 2 August 1940, Page 8

PRIMARY PRODUCTION NEEDS

POSITION NEEDS CLARIFYING

1 ARMERS UOMI’LAIN OI COMPULSION

Since farmers generally have demonstrated a willingness to cooperate to the fullest extent in the call for increased primary production to assist the country's war effort, considerable doubt has arisen as to the real essential needs and Tuesday's meeting of the Wellington Central Provincial executive of the Farmers' Union, at Marton, decided to ask that the Prime Minister make a definite announcement as to what Great Britain asked for. Discussion on the matter arose over the question of increased egg production when Mr. A. C. Birch (Marton) said that in conseo.uence of inquiries it seemed necessary to sound a note of warning regarding the call for increased production of eggs. He had discussed the question very fully with a poultry expert who had stated tnat the only way by which additional eggs could be made immediately available was by a coluntary reduction In local consumption. As far as could be gathered there did not appear to be anything in the recently gazetted regulations which provided lor the handling of the produce in the flush of the season, during the months of August, September and October, when 50 per cent, of the country's egg production was produced. It had been suggested that when the price of eggs dropped to a low figure, about November, the Government would then consider whether it would.export or not. The opinion among poultry breeders was that the Government hoped to secure supplies at round about lOd a dozen, but that was not the way to deal with the position. The first point to consider was: Did Great Britain ask for these eggs which farmers were asked to provide? There appeared to be considerable doubt as to whether there had been any request from England for eggs. If the Government proposed to deal with the eggs as suggested it would mean a loss to those in the poultry industry who claimed that eggs could not be produced economically at under Is 6d per dozen. If the campaign for increased egg production was to be justified then steps should be taken to establish egg depots, but the speaker was in doubt as to whether there had been in fact any call for eggs from Great Britain.

Mr. V. F. Toulmin (Hunterville) did not think farmers were interested commercially in egg production but were concerned patriotically. They were out to help the Old Country and if there was a call for more eggs then they would be forthcoming. Everyone was aware that England’s sources of supply, Holland and Denmark, had been cut off and it would appear that eggs from other sources were needed. He knew that farmers' wives in his district were organising and had undertaken to supply. 1500 eggs this season. Mr. J. B. S. Dudding (Marton) said that as far as he could ascertain eggs were not wanted. Mr. H. D. Richardson (Feilding) said that at a meeting of the Primary Production Council in Palmerston North it had been stated that eggs were needed. Stating that at the outset of the campaign for increased production eggs were first on the list of requirements for the Old Country, the provincial secretary reported that later advices, given at meetings of the Primary Production Council at Palmerston North, were that eggs were not as important as cheese and bacon. Mr. L. Hammond (Rata) stated that the organisation of the Farmers’ Union had been placed at the disposal of the National Council of Primary Production and the union should have definite evidence that eggs were wanted before it advocated their production. If increased production was advocated he could see that the poultry farmer would be put out of business. He was aware that farmers’ wives were taking the matter up and it would be wrong of the union to press for this production if it was not wanted for Great Britain.

"I am going to move that we ask the Prime Minister for a definite statement as to what Great Britain asked for and the quantities,” continued Mr. Hammond. "At present we do not know whether we are coming or going. Here we are organising for increased production and we are in the dark as to what is actually (ranted. There has been no definite statement as to what Great Britain I recently called on the Internal Marketing Department in Wellington to inquire about eggs, but they did net know anything about it. I think this increased egg production is a ramp to get cheap eggs for the cities. If the Government does not want eggs then it should say so,” he concluded.

Mr. Dudding seconded the proposal and stated that he had discussed the position with Mr. E. B. Gordon, M.P., who had endeavoured to ascertain the true position without result. Mr. J. W. Polson, M.P., had delivered a number of addresses on the subject of increased production and had given assurances that additional farm labour would be available and had also stated that awards would be suspended . But what was the position; the additional labour was not forthcoming nor had awards been suspended. "We must get a definite statement from the Prime Minister as to exactly what England asked for.” Mr. Birch: If we do not get the statement we require then we should make it plain that we know of no reason to go on with increasing production. Mr. j. A. Harris (Turakina) stated that as a chairman of one of the district primary production committees he had addressed many meetings of farmers on the lines of Mr. Polson’s remarks and now found himself discredited in the eyes of the people because what he had said was not m accordance with the position. "We should demand from the Prime Minister a definite and clarified statement of the position,” he said. A motion asking the Prime Minister for a definite statement of the position of primary production and the quantities Great Britain had requested, was then carried unanimously.