"A SHOW-DOWN"

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 234, 6 November 1940, Page 8

"A SHOW-DOWN"

GUARANTEED PRICE INDUSTRY'S DEMAND A direct attitude towards the subject of the guaranteed price was taken by the Dominion Dairy Conference recently, when it adopted the following resolution submitted to it by the Dairy Industry Council and moved by Mr W. Marshall, a member of the Council:— "That this conference expresses' its profound disappointment that the Hon. Minister of Marketing failed to respond to the offer made on behalf of the industry,in June last for the stabilisation of costs and prices; s and in view of the fact that further increases have taken place since that date, this conference strongly supports the request made by the Dairy Industry Council for an increase in the guaranteed price for 1940-41 to cover increases in costs; and expresses its strong dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Hon. Minister has evaded his responsibilities to the industry, as expressed in Section 20 of the Primary Products Marketing Act, 1936." "Drunk Milk and Water." "We have drunk milk and Avater for the last two years," said Mr C. P. Agar, another member of the Council, sneaking to the motion, "and if I sense the feeling of the Council, and I believe of tiie industry, the time has arrived in the history of the industry Avhen Ave Avant to say to the Minister, Arc you going to administer the Act on the Statute Book or do you admit that the Act is non-existent under AA r ar conditions?" Mr Agar said his personal attitude Avould be to say to the Minister either administer the Act and giA r e them justice under it or else admit that the needs of the Avar disposed of the Primary Products Mai--keting Act and hancj back the control of the industry to the people Avho oAvned it. As he saAA r the position, it AA T as a hopeless attitude to call together a conference at a cost of hundreds of pounds and then, because of the liner .feelings Avhich Avere their natural instincts, to eA r ade the cold facts of tlio situation. "We think there should be a show-down," said Mr Marshall, "and definitely an understanding whether increases in costs are going to pile up andi up and up and the man oh the land be asked to carry them." It Avas decided to send a copy of the resolution to Mr Nash immediately. :