MARKETING METHODS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 285, 4 December 1940, Page 6

MARKETING METHODS

STATE DEPARTMENT DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OPPOSITION CRITICISES ADMINISTRATION [ Per Prean Assoelation. | WELLINGTON, Dec. 3. As indicated by the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, on Friday, to-night’s debate in the House was devoted to the Marketing Department’s report, and when the House met at 7.30 p.m. urgency was sought for consideration of the report to enable the sitting to last until midnight. It was also decided that the speeches be extended to 30 minutes instead of the customary 15 minutes. Mr. J. G. Barclay (Govt., Marsden), dealing with the activities of lhe Marketing Department, said that during the full season the exports handled by the Marketing Division totalled £62,000,000 in New Zealand currency. This comprised exports to the United igdom. The report of the Marketing Department uici not show this full tdtal, because lhe figures in Lhe report dealt only with the activities up till July 31. However, he had the full totals. Of this amount dairy produce accounted for £25,499,000, meat more than £19,500,000, and wool £16,379,000. There were a few other items, such as tallow, woolly skins, etc., which brought the total to £62,569,000. It was a tremendous sale. The Minister had been accused, said Mr. Barclay, of not taking into consideration the rights of those parties interested, but he could assure the House he had travelled with the Minister and had been present at the negotiations, and such reports were without foundation. Mr. Nash’s Achievements Continuing, Mr. Barclay said lhat Mr. Nash considered the interests of all parties in the same way as he had done the woolgrowers. Mr. Nash was the man who, more than anyone else, had brought about the stability in the sale of our produce and stability to the farmers. Mr W. J. Polson (Opp., Stratford): Stability, or debility, (lid you say? Mr. Barclay: The Government has brought order out of chaos. The deficit in the Dairy Industry Account, said Mr. Barclay, totalled £2,160,336, but during the last three months of this season the butter output from factories had increased 27 per cent, and cheese output 60 per cent. Mr. F. W. Doidge (Opp., Tauranga): You can't take credit for that. Mr. Barclay: Of course we can. If it were down we would get the blame for it. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Opp., Waitomo) contended that a million pounds had been taken out of the farmers’ pockets and given to less worthy members of the community. The Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser: Who are the less worthy members? Mr. Broadfoot: People who working the number of hours and getting more wages than the farming community. They are taking money they have not earned. To Escape a Ja tn He expressed the opinion that the Economic Stabilisation Conference had been called by the Government to escape the jam it was in. It was a conference of futility, because the findings were not being observed by the Government. Mr. Broadfoot also criticised the increased costs of the dairy farmer, and said the country was told it was going to be insulated against overseas prices, but the Minister of Marketing had told the Dairy Conference that prices overseas were a factor that had to be considered in the main in fixing the guaranteed price. The insulation theory was one more of the theories that had gone wrong. The marketing report brought home the fact that the only way to increase production and follow the findings of the Economic Conference was to do as the dairy farmers had done—namely, work harder and produce more. Mr. B. Roberts (Govt., Wairarapa) said that during the last two or three months there had been some fierce criticism of the Minister of Marketing, but he considered ths Minister’s actions had been fully justified by events. Conditions were such that, with only one buyer, namely, Britain, the Government must see that the national policy in relation to farming must operate, ar. any rate during the period of the war. Stability to the Dairy Industry The Government had brought stability to the dairy farmers and its aim now was to bring stability, as far as possible, to other sections of the community. That might not be possible, but at any rate it could try. Mr. W. S. Goosman (Opp., Waikato) quoted figures to show that a farmer who had capital invested, and had to work long hours and had his income fixed by guaranteed price, in many cases he was receiving less than the factory workers who were handling his products, but the factory workers had been getting a five per cent, bonus. The Minister of Marketing knew, continued Mr. Goosman, that the dairy farmers did not wish him to ask Britain for more for their produce, but they did want him to reduce their costs. A Labour interjection: Cut wages? Mr. Goosman: No, we want to give a fair wage for a fair return. A Labour interjection: Can a leopard change his spots? The Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash, gave a detailed account of the procedure followed by the Government in the purchase of dairy produce. Dealing xqjith factcry costs, fie emphasised that the promise he had given the Dairy Conference stood, namely, that if the sum allowed in the guaranteed price for factory costs were exceeded the Government would immediately take the matter into consideration. Mr. Nash added that he thought they might strike difficulties, even although an arrangement had been reached with the people at Home wherein they stated that the agreement New Zealand had would continue until there was an element of stability •n the Home market. That did not