GUARANTEED PRICE BODY TO BE SET UP, SAYS PRIME MINISTER

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 October 1946, Page 5

GUARANTEED PRICE BODY TO BE SET UP, SAYS PRIME MINISTER

DAIRY FARMER TO BE TAKEN IN TO NEW TRIBUNAL

(P.A) Christchurch, Oct. 29. “No Government could go further to meet any section of the community,” said the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, when he announced at his meeting to-night the proposed establishment of a guaranteed price tribunal and a dairy products marketing authority. He said the tribunal to fix guaranteed prices would consist of two representatives of the industry and two o.* the Government, with an independent chairman. The dairy Industry would have representatives on the marketing authority, the chairman of which would be appointed by the Government after consultation with the industry. . The Government, after a long period of experience, thought the time had arrived when the dairy farmer should be invited to join a tribunal which would fix prices for dairy products in the way that wages were fixed, said Mr. Fraser. Although the Government must re-

tain a full measure of responsibility, because public money was used to guarantee prices to farmers in return for their labours, it would share the responsibility of marketing with the farmers and consult the farmers about the most suitable man to preside over the marketing committee. The guaranteed price system, which Dad done away with the gambling in dairy produce, and, during the war years, in other products, was here permanently, or at least as long as the Labour Government was permanent, said Mr. Fraser. The United Kingdom had followed New Zealand’s example, and the system there had even wider scope.

Dairy farmers, in spite of resolutions and speeches, however vehement, had faith in the future, because they were rearing many more dairy heifers. That showed faith in the future under the Labour Government. Under Labour farm production had increased enormously and there was a programme for increased production L. -ne luture.