UNLIMITED PRODUCTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 233, 2 October 1928, Page 9

UNLIMITED PRODUCTION.

PRIME MINISTER'S DOCTRINE.

MINISTER OF LAUDS

CONTRADICTED.

"CONTROL OF OUTPUT NONSENSE."

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Monday. A solemn warning that New Zealand was rapidly reaching saturation point as far as small farm products were concerned, was voiced in the House of Representatives only a few weeks ago by the Minister of Lands (the Hon. A D. McLeod), and a day or two afterwards he supplemented his remarks when on a visit to Auckland; but tonight the Prime Minister declared during the debate on the Public Works Statement that there could be no danger in developing to the utmost all our exportable items. Mr. Coates said New Zealand could with safety produce as much as she was capable of producing, and there would be a market. He enumerated a long list of items, including staple products of the Dominion, and eggs, poultry and produce of small holdings. "We can go on and produce hundreds of thousands of tons, and it won't have the slightest effect," he said in arguing that the overseas markets could not be glutted. It was not always so. A few years ago, for instance, our produce was available only for our allies, but to-day the markets of the world were open. Our butter was being exported not only to the Homeland but to Canada and the United States. Our apples went into almost every market of the world. "We can go on producing primary products, foodstuffs for the people of the world, and any thought of controlling the output is so much sheer nonsense," he declared. "That sort of talk should be cried down wherever it is heard. If we have to accept lower prices we must go on producing more to make up the difference." Mr. J. A Lee: You want an increase in produce without increasing the wages. Mr. Coates: How can wages be increased when the farmer is getting less because the world price is lower. The farmer says, "I've got to work harder, and my men have got to work harder because the price is lower!" Mr. Bartram (Grey Lynn): But it isn't, lower.

A singular feature was that no member of the Opposition drew attention to the fact that the Minister of Lands had been contradicted by the Prime MinisIter.