GUARANTEED PRICES

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19662, 23 August 1935, Page 4

GUARANTEED PRICES

OUTSPOKEN CRITICISM. EYE WASH AND HUIUIBUQ. . At the annual meeting of the Heretaunga Dairy Company a resolution endorsing Iho attitude of the -company’s chairman ■ (Mr D. G. Begley) at the National Dairy Associations' Conference at Palmerston North, was unanimously carried. In explaining his action Mr Begley trenchantly criticised the proposal. “I am not ashamed of my action in opposing guaranteed prices at the conference,” said Mr Begley. “I resent I the attempt made by the Labour Party | 'to make a scapegoat of the dairying industry. It seemed that an. attempt was made to snare the leaders of our industry into the question with the idea that the rank and file would follow. Such an action was an insult to our intelligence. The Labour, Party introduced the question of guaranteed prices. lam satisfied that it is quite I impractical of application and that it would have a most disastrous effect against tho primary producer, whom it is calculated to assist. “At the conference at Palmerston North, Mr Walter Nash, who is a most able exponent of- the political ! policy he represents, spoke for about j three-quarters of an hour, tout I can - say that as primary producers we are not devoid of intelligence, and we will j not forget Hie lesson we learned in j 1922-23, which was the inception of ! dairy control, wnen endeavours were - made to flx prices at Home. The contention we then made proved to be true within twelve months. I feel that we are on tne road to prosperity and I appeal to you to do nothing to bar that progress. 100 Per Cent Vote. “A letter appeared in the local Press mildly criticising me for having the audaoity to oppose guaranteed prices," -continued Mr Begley. “At the conclusion of that letter the writer asked why at a -conference of 350 members -only 100 voted. The' writer evidently had a lack of understanding of the facts. Although 350 -were present only 100 were official delegates who were entitled to ■ vote, which shows -that it was a 100 per cent vote, not a single vote lying idle. Mr Nash, in his address, traversed the whole world and painted a most rosy picture where -guaranteed prices were claimed to be a success. Among the -countries' he included Scandinavia. To -say that the gu-aranteed-prices system in Scandinavia is -a success is a piece of political humbug.'. Those countries export' 27,000 tons of produce, as -compared with 137,000 tons that New Zealand exports to England. Our exports are five times as -great, while the other countries would have ten times the population. It has got to be remembered that our total commodity consists of 60 per cent of primary products, while our, exports are made up of 95 per cent of primary produce. Unanswered Questions. “The Labour man says, ‘Don’t -ask me where Hie -money is coming from to pay for it; I am not concerned with 1 that?’ When he is asked what the! prices should he lie says, ‘Don’t ask | me, only I think that there should he j a fixed -price.’ But these are the tilings that we, as dairy -producers, are -con- i cerned with. If a guaranteed price is j to be given to the dairy farmer it j should ’bo given to every other class of farmer. To find a one-penny subsidy on -our total production would involve the sum of £1,600,000. They say that they want -to raise the price to Is, which would cost £5,000,000, while a -suggestion was made that it should be 1-s 3d, which would cost £10,000,000, and where Is the money for it ■coming from?” ■ “Turn the ’ handle,” suggested Mr Kirkham. “If we let this sort of delusion be the means' of dairymen supporting the Labour Party to occupy the Treasury benches, we will regret it Just as Germany did a few years ago when it went in for a system of Inflation," continued Mr Begley. Blowing Hot and Cold. “I for one am not prepared to give the -Labour Party a -carte-blanche to turn out money on the printing press.” he said. “Of course, they say they would stop when they reached the ■goods’ value. Other speakers talked about guaranteed prices for taxi fares in Wellington and also made mention of the. Wellington milk supply. We as dairy producers will not be carried ; away by the suggestion of lifting prices to some fantastic level, which one and a-half million people would have to carry. We will hear some flowery speakers during the next few months and they will be -blowing hot and -cold at the same moment. This is the kind of political eyewash that will be given out to us for the next ■few months.

“I make -an appeal to every farmer in New Zealand to oppose guaranteed prices," said Mr Begley. “We have good reasons for doing so. The Labour Party has not submitted a definite plan -and what- it is bringing forward will not stand up to investigation. They are assured of the support of tho centres, and if primary -producers accord such a thing their support they will ruo the day they do it. “There Iras been no desire on my part lo create a political meeting, but if it means prolceling our industry T have a right to do so," explained Ate Bcsdcy.

Mr (1. it. Williams -congratulated Mr Henley on his address. Politicians seeking support were ready lo be the slaves of Hie people, lie said, but onco I hey entered 'Parliament they -became dictators. “We do feel resentment lo think Ilia I, | lie Labour Parly grades our intelligence in such <i way,” added Mr Bainbrldgc.