TIME FOR ACTION

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20952, 3 November 1939, Page 6

TIME FOR ACTION

MASS PROTEST PASSIVE RESISTANCE CAMBRIDGE MEETING “IN DEADLY EARNEST” (Times Special Reporter) CAMBRIDGE, Friday More than 500 farmers of the Cambridge district who gathered to-day in protest against the Government’s methods of control of the dairy industry, applauded loudly a suggestion by Mr H. P. Hewitt that the time had come for direct action, to force the Government to heed the requests of the primary producers. He said the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash, had failed to recognise the many protests by resolution.

“I would advocate that we go to the extreme and adopt passive resistance,” said Mr Hewitt. “The time has come to make our voices heard and to impress upon the Government that we are in deadly earnest. We must hit home to the Government just how necessary the dairy industry is to the welfare of this country." On the motion of Mr Hewitt the meeting unanimously decided to request the Cambridge branch of the Farmers’ Union to form a committee to consider ways and means of enforcing the wishes of the farmers, in the event of the other resolution.*; passed to-day, failing to win the recognition of the Government. Pledge of Support Mr W. Sands suggested amid applause that unless the Government curtailed its extravagant public works expenditure, the farmers should withhold the payment of their social security contributions. On the motion of Mr A. R. Gascoigne the meeting pledged itself to support any action which the executives of the Farmers’ Union and the Sheepowners’ Federation might consider necessary. These suggestions were made in response to an appeal from Mr W. Harbutt, chairman of the Cambridge Co-operative Dairy Company. Limited, for the farmers to give the meeting an indication of their views on what action should be taken against the Government. Mr W. N. Perry, president of the Cambridge branch of the Farmers Union, presided over the meeting and associated with him on the platform were Messrs G. A. Walsh, A. R. Gascoigne and J. S. Archer. The meeting opened with the singing of the National Anthem. Industry Dissatisfied Following a recent discussion by the Cambridge branch of the Farmers’ Union, the meeting was organised to protest to the Government and particularly the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash, that the dairy farmer was not getting a just deal. The fact that meetings of a similar nature had been held in Te Rapa, Pukekohe, Whangarei, Morrinsville, Rotorua, Te Kowhai, Bay of Plenty, Hawera, Taranaki, and as far south as Dunedin, indicated, in the opinion of Mr W. Harbutt, that the farming community throughout New Zealand was upset, dissatisfied, and apprehensive of its future security. Income and Costs “At last the farmer seems to be waking up and taking an interest in his position,” said Mr Perry, commenting on the large gathering. He added that the farmers were anxious to co-operate in this time of war and they realised the necessity for increased production. However, he failed to see how production could be increased under existing conditions. The farmers main complaint, and a factor that made increased production impossible, was that income was stable, yet costs were uncontrolled and soaring. Mr Perry reviewed the history of the guaranteed price scheme. Farmers’ Grievance is Just The farmer is looked upon in many of the large centres as a squealer, a howler, and a man who is never satisfied. Surely these meetings will educate the people to the fact that the farmer has a just grievance,” declared Mr Perry. He added, after reviewing the acute shortage of farm labour, that the only way in which the New Zealand farmer could increase production was to work harder and for longer hours. That was not fair when other sections of the community were having life made easy for them. Nevertheless, increased production was imperative to assist Britain to win the war. Therefore, he appealed to all farmers to assist in impressing upon the Government the need for a revision of its policy relating to the dairy industry. Sheepowners’ Plaint “The Government interfered in our industry in defiance entirely of what the sheepfarmer wished,”, said Mr G. A. Walsh, an executive member of the Sheepowners’ Federation, in advocating that the present commandeer system imposed on the sheepowners was unjust. The sheepmen desired similar conditions to those which prevailed in the Great War, when all commandeer was made under conditions that provided for the abrogation of emergency regulations within one month after the ceasing of hostilities. Now the sheepowners would accept a oneyear period. A decrease in meat and wool production was inevitable. The Government measures could bring nothing but dismay and depression to the sheepfarmers. For all time the producer had lost control of his produce. “Hitlerism!” “If the farmer has to work harder and produce more I demand that everyone else in the country must put his shoulders to the wheel and make a sacrifice,” said Mr Walsh, amid applause. “The Government’s im-

positions on the producer Is the very negation of democracy, It Is Hitlerism first, noeond, and last.” Mr Harbutt said that a stimulus to production could not be brought about so long as the farming industry. through inadequate prices, was unable to pay competitive rates of wages and meet the increased costs of production. “With a full knowledge of our responsibilities to the country,” he said, “we definitely express the opinion that the increased costs in the farming industry, the wages required for increased labour on farms and to the point of shipment, and the other expenditure necessary to stimulate production, necessitate our demanding from the Government that a price not less than that sugg< ted • Industry Council is a just one. and should be paid for the 1939-40 dairy season.” Younger Generation "I do not vs ant to see my future ruined l»v ot idr-tic legislation,” commented Mr M. Hewitt, speaking as a farmer of tho younger generation. On the motion of Mr Harbutt, the meeting demanded that the Government pay the farmer a guaranteed price for the 1939-40 season equal to the figure suggested by the Price Investigation Committee. On the motion of Mr F. H. Anderson the meeting protested emphatically against the industry being placed in danger of permanent control of the Government, under the cloak of war emergency. It demanded an immediate assurance that within 12 months after the end of the war, control would be returned to the industry.