Farm Costs

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31080, 8 June 1966, Page 16

Farm Costs

Sir, —Mr Holyoake’s statement about continuing restraint on costs—but that rises are inevitable with full employment because nobody will accept it otherwise, etc. —plainly tells the exporting industry what he has in store for them. Gidwing tributes to increased production are a poor recompense, and farmers would be well advised to study their financial position before supporting such a policy. The Economic Advisory Council warned against State-guaranteed full employment but Mr Holyoake could not care less. Little wonder that senior, members of the Department of Agriculture are gravely concerned (and question the likelihood of getting increased prices in compensation. In desperation to get further loans even at increased interest rates to further disastrous policies, Mr Marshall is off to New York. With a policy contrary to that of the Monetary Fund, success is unlikely.—Yours, etc., V. WILKINSON. June 7, 1966.

Sir,—l agree with H. H. Vavasour that the real causes of our economic troubles is rising living costs, but I feel that the need is not for more loans but for better use of our local resources. The farmer’s costs could be reduced by co-operative marketing as the greedy middle-man is at present taking off the cream from farm profits. Shipping costs could be cut by making shipping a cooperative concern instead of a lucrative venture where profits come before service. Our low London funds are due to extravagant importing of luxury goods, as was the case in 1957 under the Holland Tory Government The superphosphate price rises are due to vested interests operating on a take-it-or-leave-it basis, and *

the remedy lies in co-operat-ive fertiliser works.—Yours, DISILLUSIONED NATIONALIST. June 7, 1966.