PIG INDUSTRY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19156, 12 November 1927, Page 22

PIG INDUSTRY.

♦ — AN EXPORT BONUS? GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE • SOUGHT. [THE PRESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, November 11. At a conference of pig-growers held in the Dor>i>ion Farmers' Institute today it was decided that the (government be approached and asked to offer a bonus sufficient to ensure to all exporters of pork a minimum net return of 5d per lb. Mr W J. Poison, chairman of the New Zealand Farmers' Union who presided, said the Prime Minister had informed him that if those engaged in tho' industry could submit a joint scheme instead of half a dozen different schemes, it would have more than his sympathy. Mr Poison said he felt satisfied that if thev could go to the Government and present a'reasonable scheme—a scheme that could •be ac'cepted by the Government without anv undue dislocation of political methods—pig-growers would be given a considerable amount of assistance. With that end in view the conference had been convened. They would have to show the Government if they were going to ask for help, particularly by way of a bonus, that a proper method of 'export was adopted, and that the charges that were going to be made on the export were reasonable charges, and they would have to show that the pigs at' the other end of the world would not be thrown on the London market under "Rafferty" rules. His other suggestion was to ask for something in the nature of a bonus. Mr J. G. Cobbe. chairman of the Pig Export Federation, referred to account sales of 1171b and 1221b pigs, the net return of which was 2-Jd per lb when sold in London. After alt 'charges had been taken off that was a distinct loss. Mr H. H. Stirling, representing the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company in the Waikato, expressed the opinion that in general trie principle of a subsidy was not sound, and could only be justified by some extraordinary circumstances which called for a subsidy to lift the industry over a stile. Such circumstances were applicable to the industry at the present juncture. Mr G. Eliott, M.P., pointed out that the Paterson s'cheme in Australia was a voluntary effort, and the point arose as to whether they could get the dairy farmers in New Zealand toiaunch such a scheme: Personally, he did not think so, and to launch the Paterson scheme legislation would be necessary. He was quite satisfied that so far as the present Parliament was concerned there was no possible chance whatever of getting legislation through. Even though the Government were prepared to legislate they would never get the Bill through. The temper of the House had been and was such that they were, fed up and full up of'any question of control. They had had that experience. 'Mr S. A. Broadbelt, Levin Dairy Company, said there were about 600.000 pigs in New Zealand, and 100,000 pigs would keep New Zealand in bacon quite comfortably. -He thought the position should be placed before the Prime Minister to see if they could get a subsidy to brinfc the price- up to something like a reasonable one. There was a big opening in New Zealand to-day for pig production , \ After further discussion, Mr Poison said the Paterson scheme was undoubt-, edly out of the question. They could not get it, and they should concentrate on something they could get. Mr J. S. Jessep, vice-chairman of the Meat Board, declared that they were fighting the Danes in the dairy business with one hand tied behind their back and were not making use of the pig industry. Only by getting the exports of New Zealand up 'could they hope to get taxation down, and he knew no industry that could be so readily expanded than the pig industry, side by side with the dairy industry. They might as well drop the Paterson scheme, because it was not workable. Such a scheme required a very much larger local consumption. They were going to depend on exports. On the motion of Mr Cobbe, seconded by Mr Neal Campbell, it was resolved : "That in order to save the pig industry the Government be asked to offer a bonus sufficient to ensure to all exporters of pork a minimum net return of od per lb. That a committee consisting of Messrs Broadbelt, Sterling, and Poison place the matter before the Government. That the committee be iustnrcted to co-operate with the Meat and Dairy Boards in providing a system of export and sales which will ensure the proper application of the bonus."