BETTER OFF

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19364, 18 September 1934, Page 4

BETTER OFF

AUSTRALIAN FARMERS. EQUALISATION POLICY. \ MR D. FULTON IN AUSTRALIA. “Australia is apparently making good headway towards recovery," stated Mr Dynes Fulton, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, who returned yesterday with Mr W. Goodfellow and Mr C. J. Parlane from a short visit to Australia. "Everybody seemed very satisfied with the progress made,” Mr Fulton added. “The result of the election was almost a foregone conclusion. The Government appears to have given entire satisfaction and to have been frank and open with the electors. Farmers Better Off. •Referring to the farming community, Mr Fuilon said Australian dairy farmers were on an exceptionally good basis compared with New Zealand. The equalisation scheme had rendered very valuable assistance. Prices were 140 s per cwt, for all butter consumed throughout the whole of the Commonwealth. This price was fixed from time to time and was retained until there was justification for alteration one way or the other. It was paid into a pool and equalised at the end of the season by the returns received for export butter. The whole amount was pooled and the same price paid to all factories throughout the Commonwealth. , “It will be at once seen that by tnis method the Australian dairy farmer is much better off than his cousin across the Tasman,” said 'Mr. Fulton. Might I say further that because of the effect of the equalisation policy Australia is in a very much better position to handle Eastern trade than New Zealand She possesses direct shipping lines and ability to undercut New Zealand prices.” Building Very Active. Mr Fulton said building in Sydney was very active and the whole city had the appearance of prosperity, contrasting greatly with the conditions he observed two years ago.