DEMAND FOR FREE MARKET

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 207, 27 May 1920, Page 6

DEMAND FOR FREE MARKET

PRODUCERS' INTERESTS

GOVERNMENT CALLED ON TO ACT

Br 'Telegraph-Special Correspondent.

i -.' Auckland, May 2G. question of a free market in Britain- for'; Now Zealand produce is to bo the subject of a conference of producers ■w;th the, Primo Minister in Wellington to.-monw. Tho conference was called by"the president of the Board of Agriculture (Sir James Wilson), and tho Auckland-province is to bo represented bv Messrs. J. E. Makgill and E. K. Wilson _ (Farmers' Union!, S. J. Ambury (ohairman •of the Farmers' Freezing Company), and J. Massey (president of the Auckland A. and P. Association). .Eeferring to this matter in his presidential address at. the Farmers' Union .Conference yesterday, Mr. James Boddio Said it was to bo hoped the conference . would result in bringing about an improvement in the present situation, and that sufficient ships would be forthcoming to relieve the serious congestion of 'tho freezing stores. He expressed the ■ hope that the day was not far distant when-there would be an end to nil forms "of control and interference with prices, .and that the primary producer might soon bo able to place Ins produce free ond unfettered on the markets of the world. He had received a telegram . from Mr. W. Goodfellow, managing director of the New Zealand Co-operativa Dairy Company, to the effect that according to private cablegrams, received !reoently from London a freo market might'yet he obtained, for butter and cheese.if the New Zealand Government .would exert itself in presenting the producers''case to the Imperial Government. '•Mr. Goodfellow said tho opinion was held that our Government was'not anxious for political reasons to help tho butter producers to get a fair price. The dairy people asked : the union to assist them in •their demand for a free market by stirring the New Zealand Government to.action. There was a world .shortage of butter. A strongly-worded telegram to the Prime Minister and members of Parliament from the union's executive and branches, said Mr. Goodfellow, would ■ materially assist the .dairy farmers' cause.

; Commenting on this matter, the chairman said he did not think there was very much in the allegation against the Government, but after the sacrifices the producers made during tho last four or five years it was high time they had a sav in the subject. (Applause.) If it was necessary to provide butter for any particular section of the community at a price l less than that ruling in the world's markets, let them face that, and come to the rescue of tho poor and weak, but thev should give the Government to understand that there must be no more interference with prices, and there must be a free market. (Applause.) Mr. Boddie moved that the following telesram be dispatched to tho Prime Minister:—"The Auckland Farmers' Union cow in conference urges the Government to iniisf on a free market for New Zealand butter." ' . : Mr. E. K. Wilson seconded. He said • thev had demonstrated to tho Government; that they would not continue as in the past. They should make their demands strong, as-they wanted results. I , The motion was carried amid applause.