FARMERS’ MEETING

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 261, 20 November 1939, Page 3

FARMERS’ MEETING

VIEWS OF SPEAKERS PATRIOTISM STRESSED Air. A. Alartin, President of the Bay of Plenty Sub-provincial Branch of the New Zealand* Fanners’ Union, occupied the chair at the mass meeting of farmers held in tho Regent Hall on Friday, and with him on the platform were Air. Lambert of Rangitaiki, Air. Raymond Read., Air. F ; E. Carter and Airs. V. Wilson and Alt’s. A. E">. Alartin. Proceedings were opened with the singing of the National Anthem. Air. Alartin said that'the'mooting had been called! by the-Opotiki Branch of the Farmers’ Union to give people a chance to express their opinions to the Government, as .they see the position. The meeting had not been arranged. hv any political party, and it was their loyalty to King and Country which prompted them to hold .such a meeting. The farmers had been' asked to increase production, so that the war can he carried oil to a successful conclusion. The farmers had beeii asked to produce more at a, price below the cost of production. An appeal had been made for a tribunal to be set up to raise the standard for .farmers and alter a big battle a committee was set up consisting, of seven persons—lour representing the Government, and three the dairy industry. The personnel was as good as could be obtained in the Dominion. A certain price was fixed to enable the averagi farmer to receive £4 10 per week. which was not a very high wage. But the Government thought that was too much and reduced payments by f|d per II). Butter costs of production have increased substantially. and as a result, discontent exists in the farming and business community. Air. AHartin maintained that someone must be getting more than his share. Continuing, Air. Alartin said! that when war broke out there was a demand for men, and a large percentage ol young men off farms enlisted. That was defiuately wrong and •public works should have been curtailed by 501. per cent, instead of tho wages being increased. Air. Alartin claimed that some of the men building huts were being paid'-£l2/10/ per week, while men were risking; their lives tor. much less. £7OOO was to be expended in building a ivew B station in Auckland. 15 stations couldi he closed ductile war and would not be missed. When the fanner could make anything out of farming he would go for it. A more serious aspect- "'as that thp British Government had asked New Zealand to increase production and the government of this country had promised to, hut could it he done':' The speaker thought not. The British government might he building on us ami we ar<* misleading the British Government. The speaker claimed, that wlmt was being done was not in the best- interests of this country or the Empire. Tin* next speaker was Air. Raymond Readl, who spoke* as a practical larmer who has lived in this district for '55 ' years. In all his Pxpcrincc, lie claimed that ho had never, come across a period when farming was so uninteresting as to-cTay. AI.V. Read related some of his experiences of farming in the early days, saying that nothing could keep the farmer of those times down. Air. Read then dealt with farmers’ costs, claiming that the margin of profit to the farmer was not sufficient. 'Providing the war measures terminated with the war they would be alright. There was noi stronger body in New Zealand than the farmers and they must, organise their resources. The position of the farmers was very quickly reflected on the rest of the community. Airs. V. "Wilson, who dealt with the farm labour problem, expressed appreciation of being a Horded the opportunity of being able t n express the opinions <T the women. If it was true that production should be increased, there should be co-operation lietweccn the farmer and the government. It should! not bo necessary for women to go into the cowshed. The ideal form of farm labour was the married couple which provides a continuity of employment’. Not many business' men would ,relish the idea of providing for their workers. If small -comfortable, houses were provided for young married couples, that would help the position. Airs. Wilson said that- the Women of New Zealand could never he accused of non-co-operation, hut they relaxed to he exploited while thousands ol men were on unproductive* work. The women of New Zealand were quite prepared to co-operate with the Government if the Government- was prepared to (o-

operate with the women of New Zealand. Air. Lambert, said that it was with pleasure that- lie heard the remarks *cf Air. Reid concerning the old pioneers as his ancestors came out to New Zealand in 1853, and >he -resented the action taken by thei government.' One of the acts put into operation was tin Primary Products''Marketing Act. No other body in the community was doing equal service with the primary producer and so he. .should receive the highest standard of living in the country. Tho initial guaranteed price* 'was illogical in that it was based on a number of slump years. In the second year, pretence was made of trying to arrive at a figure, and the findings of tho Royal Commission in 1934 was taken into consideration. A suggestion was made that the farmer should, not bo given too much in case he would not work. Aik Nash thought tho price was going to he too high on acccl nt. of the sideline of pigs and so deducted the amount from the pigs from the price, for the buttorfat In the third year an-Advisory* -Committee was set up which was entirely the work of* the’ Auckland Branch.' The committee brought in a recommeiicMTtion for a considerable increii.se. In making tho rcommomlationi it allowed -40 lbs. for cows all over'New Zealand which was too high. But Air. Nash said that cows produced at least 250 lbs. and so succeeded! in convincing himself that a reduction of jjd was sufficient. The farmer was not- easily stiired into concerted a: tion hut the protests .throughout the country were sufficient proof of dissatisfaction. Insulation in New Zealand was not possible to-day on account of the financial condition and people would have to tighten their belt's For some time to came.

Air. Carter briefly addressed the meeting stressing the necessity of cooperating with the Farmers’ Union. They -had got* to tin* stage where they must get behind the organisation oi get behind some political organisation until the endi of the war. Not many farmers would favour the line of direct action, and AH’. Nash* would take no notice of any action they took. r l he speaker asked lor moral and financial hacking for the Union. The farmers’ interests in New Zealand were greater than those of tho wage earner.

The resolutions -as published in last issue of the “News” wore then put to the meeting.

The meet-jug closed with a vote oi thanks to the speakers.