FARMERS' ATTITUDE.

Chronicle (Levin), 20 June 1946, Page 3

FARMERS' ATTITUDE.

Discussing import controls and uneconomie industries, tlxe anxxual report of the Xational Dairy Assoeiation stated that there was no indicatiou that auy brako was beiug applied by the present Governnxent to secondary industries, whcther 'tlxey be eeonomie or othcrwise. On the contrary, it stated, the policy appeared to be to foster and encourage anv and all types of industry regardless of tlieir impact 'on prinxarv production. Farmers, it was stated, liad had many bitter experiences of beiug forced to purchase articles of inferior quality at liiglP prices and with the added knowledge that what tliev reajly required was beiug deliberateiy withlield through import controls. "The Govenimeut is fully conversant- with the views of primary producers on this subjeet, but sliort of a public upheaval it is difficult to know how it can be rectificd, ' ' added the report. "Farmers are not avorse to secondary industries, in fact, fully realise tlieir iiecessitv, but they do insist that they shall be economic, and are thor6ughly tlrcd of carrying on tlieir backs the burden of inferior makeshifts. In their own industry dairy farmers have to competc on the open markets of the world and in the past have done so very suceessfully, but the present policy of import restrictions, inferior scrvices and mounfing costs are ham-stringing tlieir efficiency. By all means lct thex'e be secondary industries but let the aci'd test be that they stand on tlieir own feet in competition with the products of the people who buy our primary produce and lxelp to keep this Dominiou prosperous. ' '