DAIRY PRICES

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20784, 20 April 1939, Page 10

DAIRY PRICES

METHOD OF FIXATION CONFERENCE DIVIDED TRIBUNAL ADVOCATED (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Wednesday A division of opinion about the method by which the guaranteed dairy price for next season should be fixed was revealed at the Dominion Dairy Conference to-day. Some delegates advocated the appointment of an independent tribunal with final powers, and others favoured the retention of the present advisory committee system.

Delegates expressed the opinion that it was desirable that any resolution adopted by the conference should be unanimous, and a committee was set up to consider nine remits dealing with the matter and to formulate one designed to express the views of the conference. The committee’s recommendation will be submitted to the conference tomorrow.

The chairman, Mr W. E. Hale, outlined negotiations which had taken place between the industry and the Government about the guaranteed price for this season aiv'i the coming season. He said it was recognised that any proposal from the Minister about the stabilisation of costs was

important that it merited the serious consideration of the industry.

Increased Costs

“We are of opinion, however,” he added, “that any advantage which may have accrued to the industry from guaranteed prices has been absorbed by increasing costs, and our fear is that these costs will continue to rise.

“In view of this, the industry's committee is not prepared to depart from the decision made on February 17, that the standards of the 1938 advisory committee should be adhered to and that the prices unanimously recommended by that committee should be regarded as an absolute minimum."

The conference adopted Mr Hale's report. Mr C. P. Agar said the Minister had asked the industry to take for the coming year, not the price unanimously recommended by the advisory committee, but the price that he himself had fixed. He had asked the industry to have a standstill arrangement, but. on the other hand, he had made it clear that he was unable to guarantee any standstill arrangement to prevent costs rising. If the conference passed a motion asking for the recommended 1938 price, plus increased costs, the Minister would merely fix the price himself. Tribunal Scheme Mr Agar contended that if the Federation of Labour were to have the protection of the Arbitration Court in fixing its standards for the coming year, the Dairy Conference could not do better than reaffirm its first resolution, urging that the price be determined for each season by a tribunal consisting of equal numbers oi assessors appointed by the Dairy Board and Government and presided over by a Supreme Court Judge. Mr A. J. Murdock said the Minister had not put forward any tangible proposals for staying the costs of the dairy industry. “Will we gain anything by asking for a tribunal with final powers'?” asked Mr E. R. Bird. “I feel we would only be fooling ourselves and the result would be the same, because we are dealing with a strong Government that does not have to accept anything it does not want to accept, and that does not understand the dairy farmer's work.” Committee Appointed Mr I. Fisher said he favoured an advisory committee. If it made a unanimous report the responsibility lay with the Government if the basis of that report were altered. The following committee was appointed to formulate a remit: — Messrs E. R. Bird, G. H. Meuli, F. O. R. Phillips, J. Fisher, C. P. Agar, W. Marshall and W. E. Hale. Mr J. H. Sunderland then suggested that the committee should consider accepting a guaranteed price for next season half-way between the recommended price and the actual price this season. The suggestion was greeted with cries of “No" and “Sit down."