MUST COVER COSTS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20862, 21 July 1939, Page 9

MUST COVER COSTS

MAIN FACTOR IN PLAN POINTS FOR ELUCIDATION VIEWS OF MR 11. M. RUSHWORTII (Special to Times) AUCKLAND, Friday The recovery of the dairy-farmers’ costs was declared by Mr H. M. llushworth, Auckland provincial president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, in a statement yesterday to be the important factor in any discussion of the guaranteed price system. Mr Rushworth emphasised the need for a definition by the Government of its conception of a guarantee scheme. “In the discussion that has arisen about the guaranteed price there are really two issues which arc liable to be confused,” Mr Rushwortli said. “The first, orderly marketing as compared with the second, which is the recovery of his financial costs by the dairy farmer through the guaranteed price. Points for Elucidation The following question, said Mr Rushworth, seemed to require elucidation by the Government: —(1) Was il desirable to maintain the exports of the dairy industry? (2) Was it possible for any industry to survive it' it were unabie to recover its financial costs in full? (3) Was it not a fact that the dairy industry had been recruited for many years past, until about 193 U, by the importation of cheap boy labour? (4) Was it not a fact that the rising generation of .\oung New Zealanders would not have anything to do with this industry if they could possibly avoid it? (5) Was it not realised that now it w r as almost invariably the practice for women and children to be employed in the cow sheds and that, if this labour were not available, it would be impossible to maintain the industry? "If a guaranteed price is to be of any real benefit to the dairy farmer it 'must be fixed from time to time at .-.uch a figure as will enable the farmer to recover his financial costs in full, irrespective of the price which the produce may realise overseas,” Mr Rushworth added. “Does the guaranteed price mean that? Or is it really an average over a period of years of the selling price of the produce, irre-

spective of the cost of production? If the Government will answer these last plain questions it would be possible for the dairy farmer to give a plain unequivocal and unanimous answer as to the desirability or otherwise of the guaranteed price.” APPEAL FOR ACTION FARMERS’ UNION SECRET PLAN £1 CONTRIBUTIONS SOUGHT PAEROA, Thursday An organiser from the headquarters of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, Mr F. E. Garter, told a meeting of the Paeroa branch that a plan had been prepared to impress on the Government the farmers’ need for assistance He refused to divulge the plan. Appealing for direct action, Mr Garter said that that was a potent weapon in the hands of any organisation and hud been successfully utilised by the mdustrial unions. Mr A. S. Prendergast moved that the Paeroa branch give the fullest support to any action the executive might take. This was seconded by Mr C. G. Jackson. Mr Carter pointed out that every farmer was asked to contribute £l. Ik- gave an assurance that the action would not be a strike unless the farmers demanded it. The resolution was carried, manv refraining from voting. When those present were asked to sign an undertaking to give the executive full support in any legal action deemed necessary to take and would stand behind that action and also donate £1 to the funds two-thirds of those present affixed their signatures. TROUBLE FOR OPPOSITION ASSERTION BY MEMBER REPLY TO MR GO OSMAN (By Telegraph.—special to Times; WELLINGTON, Thursday Dealing with the guaranteed price for dairy produce in his speech in the House of Representatives to-night, Mr J. Thorn Government—Thames) analysed statements made earlier in the debate by Mr W. S. Goosman (Opposi-tion—-Waikato) on the same subject. Mr Thorn declared that there was trouble brewing for the Opposition over the attitude that some of its members had taken to the guaranteed price system. “The member for Waikato,” said Mr Thorn, “stated that the income of the dairy industry was not due to the guaranteed price, but to the farmer's production and to the price obtained for it on the London market.” Mr Goosman: Correct. Mr Thorn: The honourable member’s statement is incorrect and in both particulars. It does not necessarily 10l-