FARMERS’ FEARS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20099, 20 November 1939, Page 5

FARMERS’ FEARS

COST OF PRODUCTION HIGHER RETURN SOUGHT CABINET POLICY OPPOSED A strong feeling of opposition to the Government’s policy was evident at a meeting of Opotiki district farmers held to consider the guaranteed price and other Government legislation. Mr. A. E. Martin, president of the Bay of Plenty sub-province of the Farmers’ Union, presided,

The following resolutions were carried by an overwhelming majority: “This meeting warns the Government that its policy of fixing farmers’ returns at. uneconomic levels approximating world prices for such products, while at the same time allowing the already artificial high level of costs to mount, must result not only in an entirely unbalanced internal economy in this country, which will ultimately mean the complete submergence of our primary producers, but also in rendering completely impossible that effective effort toward increased production for which .the British Government is so urgently calling.

"We wish to represent most emphatically that unless the New Zealand Government bases the return to the farmer on the costs of production, including that reasonable margin for reserves which the demands of ordinary business prudence dictate, production must continue to fall, making impossible any recovery in our sterling funds and detrimentally affecting the welfare of the entire community.

"This meeting disapproves in the most emphatic terms of the manner in which tlie New Zealand Government, under the guise of the war emergency, has put into effect legislation restricting the liberties of the people in the most onerous manner and far beyond anything that is called for or can -be tolerated in any British community. We particularly resent the Marketing Amendment Act, 1939, with its appearance of permanence and the high-handed manner in which the Minister of Marketing lias treated all inquiries ns to the Government’s intentions in this connection.

"We demand a categorical assurance from the Government that the measures which it has brought into force will not be given permanence after the war, and pledge ourselves to resist in every possible way the socialistic trend of Government action and to preserve those rights and privileges held so dearly by all British people.”