USE OF POWER BY LABOUR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 71, 10 April 1937, Page 5

USE OF POWER BY LABOUR

Presa Aasociation. )

View of Waikato Farmers' Union President WATCHFUL INTEREST

(By Telegraph—

HAMILTON, Last Night. "The Government has proceeded to put into effect much of its advertised programme of legislation and the farming community has heen profoundly affected," said Mr S. N. Ziman, president of the Waikato Farmers' Union, at the annual meeting to-day. ' 'Jn view of th© sufferings of all classes of the community during the depression, the Farmers' Union had been prepared to view with a great deal of sympathy a policy, attacking from a new angle, th© pro'blems of the Dominion. It is not terrified hy the spectre of Socialism whichi has been raised to oppose every reform for half a century, and is not prepared to try to stampede its members with this sort of b'ogey," he continued. "The assumption by the Government of power over, and fesponsibility for, the financial aud monetary policy Of the Dominion, has the complet© approval of the executive," Mr Ziman said, "though, of course, it is watching, with th© greatest interest, to see bow this power is used. "Apart from legislation dealing directly with farming, other actions of th© Government affected th© farmers considerably, in. particular, the increased activity of othier industries and the general rise in wages in such. industries which has resulted in farmers experiencing a shortage of competent labour. . They have been unable to compet© in matters of wages and hours of work with other industries, and obviously, the only remedy is in some way to mak© returns to. the farmer sufficient to enable him to compete in the Labour market," tho president con-. olnrlorl

Deolaring th© year .to b© a momentous one for New; Zealand farmers, he stated that the prodigious armaments programme had resulted in a. wave of prosperity spreading over th© country through the greater demand for, and increased price of our products to Britain. The henefioial effects on the Dominion' s primary producers must, from its very nature, be hoth temporary and unhealthy, the phenomenal high price for wool being by no means ari* unmixed blessing even if the appalling spending for war purposes must result in anqther intens© prolonged depression.