STABILISATION IS CRITICISED BY FARMERS’ LEADER

Wanganui Chronicle, 3 October 1946, Page 8

STABILISATION IS CRITICISED BY FARMERS’ LEADER

“Our ability to increase production to satisfy the demand from new, or alternative markets, is severely limited while we are held within the grip of a stabilisation policy to a greater extent than any other food producing country in the world,” asserted Mr. B. V. Cooksley, Dominion president, oi Federated Farmers, speaking to the annual conference in Wellington.

“This is borne out by the index number of the volume of exports oi New Zealand produce which dropped from 100 in 1939 to 95 in 1944, and has since risen only to 104 in 1946. It is interesting to note here that farm production has risen in America almost 25 per cent, s.nce 1935,” he added.

“The Government’s policy of restricting imports is a further factor limiting our development of alternative markets,” he went on. “In fact, import restrictions are already leading to the curtailment of existing markets, France having already signified, on at least two recent occasions, her intention of testricting purchases of our wool because we will not purchase goods from France. “That she has excellent justification for adopting this attitude is disclosed by the trade figures between New Zealand and France for the six months ended June, 1946, New Zealand sold to France £2,501,218 of NewZealand produce, and bought from her over the same period £2396 of merchandise.

“May I also point out that before the war, France purchased 14 per cent, of the total New Zealand wool exports. In addition to exploring alternative markets we should, most urgently, first examine and adjust our trade policies in order to retain, and if possible expand, existing markets.”