SHEEP FARMERS’ DIFFICULTIES

Waikato Times, Volume 123, Issue 20689, 27 December 1938, Page 6

SHEEP FARMERS’ DIFFICULTIES

Suggestions by sheep farmers that a levy of fourpence a head should be made on all lambs exported to stabilise returns from fat ewes have brought interesting comment from Mr A. P. O'Shea, Dominion secretary of the Farmers’ Union, and incidentally have indicated <4he serious position the sheep farmers are facing. The drastic fall in the price of ewes, Mr O’Shea said, was going to bear particularly on farmers with second and third class lands. Poor returns would lead to further deterioration of the lands, and this would have its effect on future crops of lambs. He declared that the carrying capacity of much of New Zealand’s hill country had already declined to an alarming extent. The problem was the most serious one facing the country, he said, and he alleged it was being ignored. Inevitably discussion of the sheep farming industry’s difficulties leads to the question whether an attempt will be made to institute a guaranteed price scheme similar to that applied to the (fairy industry. The Government intimated some time ago that it has no desire to interfere while the industry is functioning smoothly, but that if the sheep farmers desire more control by the State and a guaranteed price they have only to ask for it. Since then there has probably been a considerable change in the Government’s attitude, and it is not at all certain that any eagerness would now be shown to undertake the responsibility of instituting a guaranteed price for sheep farmers. Experience with the dairy industry has shown that if all other industries were brought into the scheme the Government might be very seriously embarrassed. The State at the moment is probably not anxious to shoulder the losses now being carried by the farmers. It does, however, owe a duty to the sheep farmers, for there is no question that its policy has added very materially to their costs of operation and made ordinary returns inadequate in the present circumstances.