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Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 98, 12 May 1937, Page 12

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WELLINGTON, Last Nigh.. The phenouional expansiou ru Ihe New Zealand dairyiug industry during the past few years and its impertance to the econoxoic etructure of this coimtry were referred to by the Acting Prime Minister (Jlon. P. Frasei) when opening the Waikato Winter Show ai Hamilton by telephone frou: the offi.ee of Parliament liouse this afternoon. Mr. Fraser said despite the hopeless ly low price levels of recent years dairying stili aecounted for about 35 per cent'. of the total value oi our exports. "It is obvious that the welfare of this major industry is intimately associated with the welfare oi the Uominion itself and the Government has set itself a definite objective oi raising this and other basie primary industries to a state of prosperity. "In the pre-eiection announcements of its policy the present Government declared that if elected to office it would immeaiateiy iatroduce legislation providing for the betterment of .the primary industries. I caa ciaim on beiialf of the Government that this promise ! has been kept and that the important • policy measures introduced have j already done much to rehabilitate the farming industries, particularly the dairying industry. "Sinee February last butter prices have advauced 19s per cwt. and cheese prices 14s 6d and the present prices are in advance of the prices at this date last year by 20s per cwt. for butter and 15s for cheese. "I claim that these price comparxsons completely negative any suggestion that the present marketing system has detrimentally aifected the sale oi our dairy produce. Indeed evidence is to the efi'eot that axmost all leading lirms welcome the changed policy. At the present time consideration is being given to all relevant factore in the iixation of guaranteed prices for butter and cheese for the next season. The Government has set up a representativo committee to investigate and fo recommend in the terms of the Primary Products Marketing Act in regard to hSxt season 's prices. "The formula for the determination of prices takes account of farm and factory costs and provides for dairy farmers a reasonable standard of living. The committee has already made a speciai recommendation to the Government in regard to the cheese industry and an announcement will be made very shortly. The Government policy for the dairying industry was introduced for the betterment of the dairy farmers as a whole and it ciaims notwithstanding a small measure of criticism, from ! sources not always disinterested, that measures for the adjustment of mortgage debts and for the payment oi guarantCed prices for dairy produce have a solid backing in the dairying industry. ' '