FARMERS' GRIEVANCES

Chronicle (Levin), 5 April 1949, Page 6

FARMERS' GRIEVANCES

Working Harder For Less Reward "Farmers are considered by their city friends to be proverbial growlers. Perhaps it is just as well for them that we are. not imbued with the same hostile spirit as some of their own militant unions or it may be an entirely different story," observed Mr. Lloyd Hamniond at yesterday 's annual rqeeting of the Wellington Central Provincial meai and wool produce seetion of Federated Farmers, held at. Marton. Reviewing the past year of buoyant prices, Mr. Hammond reminded members that farmers, were enjoying a seller 's market, a position which had been capitalised by the Government and the people generally. It was well to remeinber, however, the inevitable day when a buyer's market faced the producer and a note of warning would not be out of plaee. Strangely enough, in spite of good prices, farmers generally were far from being satisfied with their lot and bitter comment was not far- to seek. Recently Mr. Bruce Levy, Direetor of Grassland Division of the Department of Agriculture, made an eloquent appeal to farmers for more production in spite of all ' disabilities. Most farmers, said Mr. Hammond, would support the principie of Mr. Levy's therne but surely he and members of his Department were aware of the frustration m,et with in endeavouring to implement: the §cheme. "If Mr. Levy could place, generally, farmers' grievances and actual injustjLces, as No. 1 priority on his order paper, then he would find his case for increased production would' pay veryhandsome dividends. It seems f utile to ask farmers to produce more wnen there is little incentive — and less profit — the harder you work and the more you produce. ' ' The patriotic cry worked very well and would again, ih time of war, but surely the Government must see tnat the farmers of this country are not prepared to go on indefinitely working harder and longer hours than the rest | of the community, for a diminishing share of the nation 's wealth which they, as a "seetion, almost entirely proi | duce. Farmers ' grievances are really | economic and not political, butas long : as New Zealand ■ is govemed by so ; mqny politicians and so few economists, ! so do our troubles . mount up and ulti- ; mately must be reflected on the whole ' community. - »v."*uc. _■ : miajx:b,e '^^ll^pr; all to pofhder on "whai wi'll ; jfajrpen shgiihj. our .overseas piirchkser'S'a?' '.the ~end'(,, Of the preseut confracts .4ecide-t%t" ojy; pri'me lam b is orily vfbrth! , fi^d-r^.Td^to' 'tliem' and wool say ls per lb. Vfe are full of hope for the best,- but sueh-^hings ■:-;ycan happen again. . .dfope alajei wilUnot meet the i high cost of less work and shorter hours. -X£ i '• . . "x\n Arbitratiojj^Gourt . which settlerS/ppr'inf^mp^if^g^grsTon a cost of li-ving 'basis uhfoftuAa'tely does not settle our real ecQnomy .which depends hltimajr^.,to 'our:ove|gpas -pidc'fe levels. Such' up fo?- -a shorLperiod by Tes'erve fundg but' One . wo.Ur! d have ,to- be, a great optimist to Auppose thafcjthe prqsent level* of prices wi'll be an averagy; ;o.ver the ilgxt ten i.years." Mr. Hammond concluded by expressing the hope that "Mr. Levy would have more suecess in • putting the views of farmers before the Government than | the Federation had. i Endorsing Mr. Hamomnd's remarks, I Mr. D. G. Gordon said that while he differed to a certain extent, he thought ! it wise to 'sound a note of warning not so much as to a big recession in prices j because he felt that would coine gradually, but because of the mounting inter- [ nal costs. Increased production was necessary if the country was to be kcpt on an even keel but its cost was going ' to be out oi proportion to the results. | Mr. Levy felt th,at producers should

accept responsibility for that but farmers should know what the Government is prepared to do, if a programme of increased production is developed. He felt that it was unlikely that increased production would come without some alternative to the present set-up of our internal economy.