NO CONFIDENCE IN LEADERS
FARMERS OBJECT
SWEATED INDUSTRY —l • OUR LEADERS ” HIGHER PRICES WANTED “NOT PREPARED TO CARRY ON” “ That the Morrinsville branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Un--1 ion dissociates itself with the re-
ported statement of the president • of the Auckland Executive of the Farmers’ Union, Captain H. M. Rushworth, and, on the contrary, this branch is emphatic that the dairy industry is not satisfied with the position as outlined and is not prepared to carry on at the present price,” was a resolution proposed by Messrs A. G. Alex’ander and C. Cates, and carried unanimously at the monthly meet- ? ing of the Morrinsville branch of
the Farmers’ Union held in Morrinsville on Saturday. A note to the resolution was “There is a rumour prevalent in the Auckland Province that Mr W. Marshall, of the Stabilisation ■Committee, was responsible for the attitude of the Auckland Executive.” It asked the Auckland Executive to inform the branch if the statement was true. There was an attendance of 18 members. The president, Mr W. A. Rushton, presided over Messrs G. Keik
A. Alexander, D. T. Davtps, F. N. Smith, A. Topham, A. McLachlan, M. Hanson, N. Andersen, R. Vickers, Johansen, G. D. Dodd, C. Cates and F. W. Seifert. No Confidence In Executive ' Not satisfied with these two con- , demnations of the Auckland Execu-
tive over its attitude in regard, to stabilisation a further vote of censure, proposed by Mr W. A. Rushton, presii dent of the branch, and seconded by * Mr Cates, was to the effect: “That this branch has no confidence in the Auckland Executive of the New' 'Zealand Farmers’ Union as our elected representatives in dealing with the question of stabilisation as it affects the* farmer.” The statement which the Morrinsville branch so strongly condemned resulted from an address given in Auckland last week by the secretaryWanager of the Te Awamutu Dairy Company, Mr A. J. Sinclair.
“ The dairy farmer is emphatic that his agreement cannot be obtained to stabilisation on a 1938 price and a 1943 basis of costs,” said' Mr Sinclair in his address. “He argues; ‘lf I have to stabilise on a 1938 price, I want 1938 costs; but if I have to stabilise on 1933 costs, I want a 1943 price.” Concern Over Trades Unions Captain Rushworth, commenting on this address, is' reported to have said that while in normal circumstances the strongest measures would be justified to obtain a price that would cover the costs of production, it had been indicated that the Trades Union leaders werb holding the rank and file of their organisations to order with difficulty arid if the farmers broke the Stabilisation Order a steep upward of inflation would follow and ■would more than cancel out any gain by the dairyfarmers in a very short time.
“In these circumstances,” said Mr Rushworth, “the leaders of the farmers in the province decided on Wednesday to recommend strongly that no attempt be made to break the order at the present time.”.
The word “strongly” was stressed ■by Mr Rushton when he read the report at the meeting. Mr Rushton also commented on Captain Rushworth’s concern for the Trades Unions rather than for the farmers by whom he was (elected.
Opening the broadsides against the Auckland Provincial Executive the ■president of- the Morrinsville branch, Mr W. A. Rushton, said: “With regard to the increased price of, dairy produce'we as farmers are in the unfortunate position of . an army whose Baders hive gone over to the enemy. The dazj[ipdustry is particularly fortunate in having such a man as Mr A. J, Sinclair to its cause. We are" unfortunate in having a man like Captain Rushworth as president of the Auckland Provincial Executive, who as the so-called elected representatives of the farmers recommends that no attempt be made to ■break the stabilisation of prices at the present time. We read in the papers how stabilisation is working—or at least is not working. Most of you will find an increase in the hospital >ra!te: We read in yesterday’s paper j of increases ih hospital estimates and
salaries. We cannot say these salaries are not justified. 9
“ The farmers seem to be the only sweated industry in New Zealand to-day. We have women and children in the cowsheds who are on the job all the time and who get paid about 6d an hour. The farmers are asking for an increased price not only for themselves but for their employees, too.” “ Sold By Leaders ” ■ “There is no doubt that we have been sold by our*" leaders,” declared Mr F. W. Seifert in supporting Mr Rushton’s remarks. He said the ability of the present leaders was recognised but the same men had been leading the farmers for years and had failed to get them anywhere. The New Zealand Dairy Company represented 25 per cent, of the voting strength at the dairy conference next month and Mr Marshall, their chairman, supported the present price. “If all the suppliers of the company were aware of the position’ could they ■bring pressure to bear?” asked Mr Rushton.
“The Farmers’ Union listened to Mr Marshall instead of getting the feeling of the people they represent,” said Mr Rushton.
Have Showdown—Stop Production
That he would like to see a real showdown and stop production, was the opinion of Mr A. G. Alexander, who said the reason the farmers were in the present position was “because we are mugs enough to put up with it.” Every farmer knew he was getting a raw deal, continued Mr Alexander.
Farmers had been running at a loss for four years while ’ other sections were getting increases to cover costs. If the coal miners wanted increased rates they would'get it to-morrow or walk out, have a week’s drinking and walk ' back next week at increased rates.
It was high time farmers demanded that the Government got out of marketing produce and the farmers sent their own representatives to negotiate for the disposal of their produce. The farmers also had a duty to the boys oversea’s. The stabilisation order was for the duration of the war
and one year' after and what show would a farmer coming back have of making a decent living. It was up to the farmers to fight for the men overseas.
“Adopt Unconstitutional Methods”
The farmers had had a clear indication from Mr Marshall on one hand and the Auckland Executive on the other that they could not hope for any help from the present heads of the industry and the course to adopt was quite plain. They should get together and say that if the farmer can’t get a higher price they will strike. They had had a number of discussions over the years but they had got them nowhere. They would be unable to get in the position of threatening a showdown by just beating the air and passing resolutions. He had recently been talking to a Farmers’ Union president, continued Mr Alexander, and had shown him a comment by a dairyman that “the farmers were not prepared to adopt unconstitutional methods.” This man was emphatic ■that the farmers in his district were “very definitely prepared ,to adopt unconstitutional methods.”
• That the farmers in asking for the adjudication of their case were not asking for something that was not in the Act was stressed by Mi* Cates, who said provision was made in the Act for correcting any anomalous position that might arise. The responsibility for the declining production could 'be laid at the door of the ■Government. When cost of production of an article was too high the people producing could not carry on. “Subsidise Butterfat Production I”. “No regulation seems to be able to subsidise the production of butterfat per cow!” interjected Mr A. Topham. “The late Mr Savage had referred with tears in his eyes that the women were not in their rightful place in the cowshed, and he was going to put them out,” said Mr Cates.
Startling Figures Quoted Startling figures were quoted by Mr Alexander when he said that according to figures supplied by the Government Statistician in the latest Year Book the farmers had had a 63 .per cent, drop in their net incomes while all other sections of the community had had a rise of 61 per cent.
In effect, said Mr Alexander-this meant that if they took £3OO as a basis for the earnings of a farmer and any other worker in 1938, in 1940' the farmer’s income had dropped to £lll, while that of the other, worker had risen to £483. These figures were froiri the Government Statistician and
there could be no doubt as to their accuracy. Those figures meant that
the farmers were running at a loss. ( Condemned “Holus Bolus” I “We would be a long way better ) without them. They have been damn--1 ing the Farmers’ Union for years!” j said Mr Rushton when discussing the attitude of the Auckland Executive. “I condemn them all ‘holus bolus!’”
Why could we not bring Mr Marshall or Mr Mulholland to a Farmers’ Union meeting? asked Mr G. D. Dodd. The resolutions passed will be sent to the Auckland Executive.
The Southern Thames Sub-provin-cial representative, Mr E. Palliser, of 'Springdale, was not present at the last meeting of the Auckland Executive.
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Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3260, 7 May 1943, Page 3
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1,550NO CONFIDENCE IN LEADERS Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3260, 7 May 1943, Page 3
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