DAIRY FARMERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 14 January 1931, Page 5

DAIRY FARMERS

REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ASSISTANCE (By Telegraph—Press Association) WELLINGTON, This Day.' The report of the special committee set up by the Government to investigate the economic position of dairy farmers has been received by the .Minister of Agriculture,: the lion. ’ A. J. Murdoch. A summary of the findings has been issued by the acting Prime Minister, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, who said that the committee was of the opinion that the present low values for dairy produce make it impossible for a proportion of farmers to meet their obligations. Among other suggestions by the committee was one that dairy companies be asked to act as “clearing houses” for the collection of confidential information concerning cases of hardship. The Government bad adopted this suggestion, and upon the information being received it would be possible to go into the question of granting relief. Another point emphasised by the committee was that production .should be kept up, and it made suggestions to this end. Data available led the committee to conclude that the most important factor regarding costs as affecting the financial position of the dairy industry is,interest indebtedness, represented by mortgages upon land, implements, stock and chattels, and that payment of instalments or interest appears to constitute the farmers’ most difficult problem.