LEAD WANTED

Waikato Times, Volume 194, Issue 22321, 12 April 1944, Page 2

LEAD WANTED

PRIMARY PRODUCERS FOODSTUFFS FOR BRITAIN (By Telegraph.—Pres? Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. “ If they tell us what they want we will soon do it.” This remark of Mr H. M. Burgin was typical of a discussion when more than 200 North Canterbury farmers met at Fernside this evening to consider the need for the production of more foodstuffs for Britain. The meeting was addressed by the Leader of the Opposition, Mi S. G. Holland, who said Britain no longer had a food problem—the problem had become a crisis.

Farmers present said they were willing to produce to the limit of their resources, but they wanted to know what they should produce. They asked for a lead. When Mr Holland promised to see the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. B. Roberts, about points raised the chairman, Mr A. M. Carpenter, commented: “It is something to know you can see him. We certainly cannot hear him.” Price Factor

Mr Holland said that at a recent meeting of farmers he had heard man after man say that at present prices production was not too attractive. “ Look here,” he said, “it is not a question of whether it is attractive, it is a question of whether we can save Britain from sheer and utter starvation.”

A meeting held in Christchurch under the auspices of the North Canterbury District Counoil of Primary Production was addressed by Mr W. Bankes Amery (British Food Commissioner in Australia and New Zealand) who outlined the urgent needs of the United Kingdom “in this year of crisis.” Mr R. C. Buckenham said that after listening to Mr Amery’s account of the stupendous efforts of the primary producers of Great Britain, he had come to the conclusion that Britain’s farmers must have received great encouragement and co-opera-tion from their Minister of Agriculture. “We cannot say we have had the same encouragement and cooperation here in New Zealand,” he added. Farmers’ Morale Mr W. W. Mulholland, a member of the National Council of Primary Production, said the reasons for the decline in New Zealand’s primary production were, first, the weather, and, second, the morale of the farmers. “ You farmers have got your tails down,” he said. “ I would say that the whole country* has lost its fighting spirit. The civilian population has, not the fighting spirit it had two*years ago. The war is not yet won, but some people seem to think it is.”

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr S. G. Holland, on behalf of the meeting, assured Mr Amery that Canterbury primary producers would pledge themselves to do all in their power to aid the United Kingdom.

“ We must here and now commit ourselves to give all in our power, for if the United Kingdom fails we fail,” Mr Holland added. “ I know Mr Mulholland will not mind my disagreeing with him—l usually agree with him—but I do not think we have our tails down. What we need is a stimulant. When Britain wants New Zealand will not fail. No internal trouble or complaint must be allowed to interfere with our aid to Britain.”