DAIRY FARMERS’ CLAIMS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20784, 20 April 1939, Page 8

DAIRY FARMERS’ CLAIMS

If Mr Nash still hopes New Zealand dairy farmers will be willing to accept for next year’s produce the guaranteed price paid during the current year, and according to his latest statement he does, he will not receive much encouragement from the meeting of the Waikato Sub-Province of the Farmers’ Union. Another attempt is apparently to be made to persuade Mr Nash to raise the current season’s price to the level recommended by the advisory committee, but the Minister is taking the initiative in the other direction, “in the interests of stability.” In this connection strong argument has been put forward by the secretary of the Morrinsvijle Dairy Company, showing that as a result of climatic and other conditions dairy farm owners have been placed in a very unstable position. The restiveness of the dairy farmers is further illustrated by a proposal, rejected by the conference, that the farmers should take direct action to secure what they believe to be bare justice, and by another suggestion that a farmers’ political party should be formed to secure direct representation in Parliament. The suggestion to “strike” arose as a result of the fact that many proposals for the improvement of the farmers’ position have been submitted to the Government and nothing more has been heard of them. Thus some farmers are seeking a weapon whereby they can draw more forcible attention to their claims. Direct action to force the hand of a popularly elected Government would be unwise, but regarding representation in Parliament, admittedly the farmers are suffering a handicap. The Farmers’ Union, however, has always turned its face against participation in party politics, and wisely, because members of various shades of political opinion are included in the ranks. Clearly, greater numbers of members are being won to the policy of entering polities, but it is extremely doubtful if that course would bring the relief which the farmers seek. They could at best win only a very few seats in Parliament, and would have lost their valuable asset of political independence. Behind much of the dissatisfaction of the farmers is the Government’s insistanee that a “wage” of £4 10s a week is sufficient for the “average efficient” farmer. According to statistics, many of them this season will not receive even that meagre return for their labours. The stabilisation Mr Nash seeks on that basis is not likely to appeal to the majority of farmers, though stabilisation is still an urgent necessity.