The Waikato Times FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1938. THE NEXT MOVE

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20427, 18 February 1938, Page 6

The Waikato Times FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1938. THE NEXT MOVE

ben the Minister of Marketing told the Dairy Conference that be would, if the industry wished it, submit to Cabinet a proposal that the guaranteed price should be fixed by an independent tribunal, the delegates appointed a committee to go into the matter and report. The report has been presented and it will be interesting to see what Mr Nash does with it. The creation of a tribunal, equally representative of the producers and the Government and with a Judge of the Supreme Court as chairman, has been recommended, but the committee has gone further and has outlined the order of reference on which the tribunal should base its decisions. And the order is exactly the same ns that so strongly advocated by the supporters of the compensated price. The committee has taken the four governing conditions, as outlined by the movement, and recommends that in future they should govern the prices to be fixed. This development. it can be taken for granted, was not anticipated by the Minister when he made his offer, but it imposes a duty to state clearly the intention of the Government, and the reasons why the recommendation cannot lie adopted, if it declines to accept it.

Mr Xash is a capable man, and if he can see the way to effect a working compromise between the Government and the dairy industry then he will take it. During his visit to the Waikato recently he promised to study certain aspects that are really covered by the proposed terms of reference. He promised, for instance, to see whether some way could be found to cover increased costs. The compensated price advocates and the committee mentioned increases “imposed by legislation, including tariffs,” and the Minister mentioned increases occurring after guaranteed prices had been fixed for the year. The producers state that they wish to be in a position to pay competitive wages, and the Minister has admitted that at the present time farm workers’ rates are not on the same level as those of town workers. There are points, it will be seen, where the two views come very close together, and the opportunity is now afforded the Minister to find a sound compromise if lie can. The change in the form of the authority to fix prices would require an amendment of the Act so, jf that is decided upon, the way will be open at the same time to amend the governing conditions along whatever line is determined. Apparently the Conference wishes the tribunal to be empowered to fix prices, whereas the committee provided for in the Act simply recommends. The Minister might object to that power being taken out of his hands, but if he is so sure that the basis of the prices now fixed is correct, and that the return to the average producer is reasonable, then he should be able to convince any tribunal of those facts. Clearly the next move must be made by the Minister.