N.Z. REPRESENTATION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 69, 3 May 1946, Page 5

N.Z. REPRESENTATION

INTERNATIONAL PRODUCERS CONFERENCE

MEETING WORLD NEEDS “As I expect you are all aware, our chairman, Mr Hale is on his way to England at present, as one of the delegates who will attend the International Conference of Food Producers to be held in London in May,” said the Acting-Chairman of the New Zealand Dairy Board, Mr A. Linton, at the East Coast Ward Conference at Whakatane last Wednesday.

“This conference is the outcome of the visits paid to the Dominions by the delegation of British farmers, headed by Mr Turner, now the president of the National Farmers’ Union of England. You will remember that they visited New Zealand about 18 months ago, and met representatives of our farming industries. The policy which Mr Turner and the National Farmers’ Union of Britain is supporting is that laid down by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, and that policy, in its broadest sense is that while there are people in the world ®n the verge of starvation—and there always have been millions of them throughout the world in the past—producers should not have to worry about markets, but should be assured of prices that will allow them to produce. That is a wonderful ideal and it is certain that unless, in the years ahead some means can be found for bringing it to fruition, then we are going to have no real peace. But it will not be easy to bring about, and the conference which Mr Hale is attending as one of the farming representatives of New Zealand has a difficult task ahead of it.

Delegates Will Report Back “It was originally intended by the National Farmers’ Union, that the conference should be confined to representatives of the British Domin ions and we have not heard exactly why it has been extended to include apparently representatives of the United States and of European nations. Doubtless there are good reasons for that course being taken for one would imagine that it would add greatly to the difficuties of reaching agreement. The delegation which has left New Zealand does not represent the statutory boards—though certain of its members happen also to be members of these bodies —but represents the Farmers’ Federation. It has been specifically stated by the president of that organisation, Mr Cooksley, that the farmers of New Zealand will not be committed by the delegation who will report back here prior to accepting responsibility for agreeing to any proposed international policy.

Closer Co-operation Essential “I think that is a wise decision,” said Mr Linton. “Conditions throughout the world are changing very rapidly. During the war, aerial development was hastened by many years, and it is now possible for representatives from any of the producing countries, to reach a central point for a conference, within a few days of leaving their own country. Under these conditions closer cooperation is not only desirable—it is inevitable. We have though to build any international organisation of food producers slowly, and with sound foundations, and it is therefore only proper that our delegates should report back so that farmers in New Zealand can endorse or oppose the proposals.”