FARMING AFFAIRS

Lake County Mail, Issue 35, 4 February 1948, Page 8

FARMING AFFAIRS

TUa column is supplied weekly by Federated Fanners of New Zealand!. The information given is official but any views expressed are those of the federation and are not necessarily those of this newspaper, FEDERATION MEMBERSHIP Membership figures in Federated Farmers showed an increase of nearly •000 during 1947. In January it stood at 37,263 and at the end of December it had risen to 43,616. Such a total has never before been reached by any farming organisation in the Dominion. Prior to the formation of the Federation of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was the largest of the various voluntary farming bodies but its peak membership figure never exceeded 28,000 Membership of the other constituent organisations of the new Federation probably did not reach 5000 so that to-day at least 15,000 additional farmers have thrown their weight into the largest voluntary organisation of primary producers New Zealand has known. The greater part of the year’s enrolments have been made through the field organisers of' the Federation. Provincial executives, branch committees, and individual members have also played an important part in securing the increase and continue to work enthusiastically in closing the gaps left in the ranks of farmers. Present indications are that this year should bring almost complete membership of farmers in the Federation. Price Increases According to statements issued by the United Nations and commented on by Canadian economists (a report of which has just reached Federated Farmers) prices since 1937 have been held in control better in countries of the British Commonwealth than elsewhere. Increases from 1937 to 1947 have been as follows; EMPIRE: Canada, 58 per cent.; Australia, 49 per cent.; India, 183 per cent.; New Zealand, 58 per cent.; South Africa, 71 per. cent.; United Kingdom, 79 per cent. AMERICA: Argentine, 124 per cent,; Mexico, 153 per cent.; Peru, 243 per cent.; United States, 82 per cent. EUROPE: Denmark, 97 per cent.; Portugal 134 per cent.; Spain, 74 per cent.; Sweden, 74 per cent.; Switzerland, 102 per cent. Price control in some form was applied almost universally during the period of the war and continues in varying degrees in a number of countries to the present time. Inasmuch as the payment of subsidies (probably the most commonly employed instrument in holding down the price level) as a charge upon the taxpayer and, therefore eventually reflected in living costs, the resultant saving is more apparnt than real. Now that so many subsidies for instance have been removed in New Zealand they will be translated for a time at least, into higher prices. Price levels in different countries are therefore, not fully comparable as long as subsidies continue to be employed in some areas.