BASIS OF GUARANTEE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 202, 11 September 1937, Page 6

BASIS OF GUARANTEE

-Press Association.)

Mr. Nash's Statement Termed "Misleading"

(i5y Tele?raph-

WELLINGTON, Last Night. Tlie Dominiqn seeretary of the. New Zealand Farmers' Uniou, Mr A. P. O'fchea, said this evening that he had been instructed by the Dominion President, Mr W. W. Mulholland, to entcr an empliatie protest against tno misleading nature of the statement issued by Mr Nash this inorning regarding the " basis of the Government 's decision on the guaranteed price. The protest was . supported also by members of the Dominion executive, v.'ho remained in Wellington for the deputation this aftcnoon. "The statemcirt would lead Ihe public to believe Ihe cost of produeing butterfat was aboul. 5d pet lb.," said Mr ; O'Sliea. "No mention wa8 made of interest' or labour costs. On the Gov■ernment 's own figures the labour cccst yras at least 6d per lb. of butterfat. lAecording to the Dairy Commiselon, interest wds in the region of 2d per lb. mS butterfat. This shows the total cost

of production of butterfat is at least Gd plus 2d plus 5d, which equals 1/1. "Tho public should not be misled bv Ihe Minister's slalomont, whicli :s only a partial slalemeiil. and a-s sucli deinoiisl.rales tluit Ihe iMinisler has souicl li'mg to hide. We cairnot be too omphatic in protesting agalnsi what appears to the members of my executive to be an attempt seriously to mislead the public. The public should insist that all information placed before the Minister by the Guaranteed Price Conimittce should be made public."