MINISTRY OF FOOD’S REACTION TO PRICES UNFAIR AND UNJUST

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 September 1950, Page 5

MINISTRY OF FOOD’S REACTION TO PRICES UNFAIR AND UNJUST

WELLINGTON, Last Night (PA).— The manner in which the British Ministry of Food reacted to New Zealand's case for increased dairy produce prices was unfair and unjust in the opinion of several dairy industry leaders who spoke at the annual Dairy Board conference today.

The chairman, Mr. W. B. Hale, said the board and the industry council were deeply disturbed. He doubted whether the altitude apparently taken up by the Ministry was in fact the attitude of the British people. The conference adopted the following resolution:

“That this conference, fully representative of the dairy industry in New Zealand, gives full support and approval to the case presented by the Representatives of the Primary Products Marketing Commission in the recent negotiations with the British Ministry of Food concerning 1950-51 prices for New Zealand dairy produce while again affirming our unswerving loyalty and a desire to help the Homeland in all circumstances , the conference expresses regret and conc rn at a time when our costs of production have not ceased to rise because of overseas and internal factors beyond our control, Britain cannot see her way clear to agree to any increase in the prices to be paid to us, even though other countries, whose support to the Empire has never exceeded ours, are still in receipt of payments materially above those made to New Zealand for similar daily products. Further, we record our pride and willingness in having shared with Britain her war and post-war food supply difficulties, but feel that our acceptance of below world parity prices for those periods should not react against us now as our costs of production are exceeding our receipts."