THE TURNING POINT.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1922, Page 5

THE TURNING POINT.

NEW ZEALAND AND THE SLUMP. A MINISTER’S ADVICE TO FARMERS.

CONSOLIDATE AND NOT SPECULATE. Masterton, Feb. 14. At a largely-attended smoke concert which was held in connection with the show to-night, Mr. W. Perry/ in proposing the toast of Parliament, said that during the life of the present Parliament that body had had the most strenuous time that it had ever had. The most important piece of legislation ever put through by Parliament was that in connection with the meat • j which, he felt, would benefit not only ! the farmers but the whole community. For onc4 they had caught that body unanimous, which was a most difficult thing to do, as anyone who had bad anything to do with them knew that it was almost impossible to get them to pull together. The present Minister of Agriculture deserved a good deal of credit for bringing the pool into exist* ence. The Hon. W. Nosworthy, who met with a warm reception on rising Ho reply, commended the association for its show. He said that what they wanted to do was to build up their agricultural and pastoral industries, in order to restore the country to the position it enjoyed before the war. The nation was dependent upon the primary producers. We were one of the last nations to feel the aftermath of the war, and we were unprepared for it financially, and had a very hard struggle, but lie was proud to think that we had now reached the turning point, and would ultimately get out of our difficulties. For many years the Dominion had been virtually on an up grade, and when the slump came the people naturally felt it keenly. Retrenchment had become necessary, and the Government had endeavored to make that unpleasant duty press as evenly as possible on all classes. The arrangements the Government had been able to make in connection with wool had had the effect of stabilising the markets, and coarse as well as fine wools were improving all the time. EFFECT OF MEAT CONTROL BILL. With the termination of the commandeer and the slump in all farm produce, said the Minister, he had come into contact with farmers who were in great straits, and the question was what was the best to do for them. The Government, after consideration, decided to introduce the Meat Control Bill, which gave the producers power to deal with their meat in a manner which really meant pooling their products. They did not at present propose to put all the machinery in operation, but the most essential portions were to be put into practice at once. He . claimed that this co-operative trading had already had the effect of enhancing the prices of our produce at Home. He was satisfied that if the Bill hod not been introduced they would have been faced in March and April with practically no outlet in the Home markets. Had they had to face another twelve months like the last, the farmers would have been practically ruined. i

His advice to farmers was to consolidate and not to speculate. He prophesied that within a year or two mutters would right themselves, and the producers would come into their o»rn again. He took the opportunity to state officially that an amicable arrangement had been come to in the Armovr dispute on the lines laid down by the Government. From the latest information he had been able to get, he was satisfied that although the earlier estimates would not quite be reached, there would be a surplus of fully a million bushels of wheat. The Government had made arrangements to relieve the producers of any surplus. A TURN FOR THE BETTER.

Sir Walter Buchanan said that one •feature’ of the present Parliament was the genuine manner in which, the producers were represented in it, and this was proved by the manner in which the Meat Pool Bill had passed. He agreed with the Minister that matters had now taken a turn for the better, and that matters would soon right themselves. The pool was a good weapon with which to fight the trust*, which were threatening the Dominion, and would be a good check to them. Ar a. member of the Legislative Council his services would always be at the disposal of the producers. Mr. G. R. Sykes, M.P., said that since 1914 the Government and Parliament had been faced with the most serious position the Dominion had ever experienced. The proceeds of prosperity had led to a perfect orgy of speculation, which was followed by a slump. They had had a most difficult position to face, and it was satisfactory to feel that the country was now just around the corner. If they would only have faith and study legitimate economy. their troubles would soon fade away. In responding to the toast of “Tin* Visitors,” Mt. Wilbur, Consul-General for the United States, who was received with cheers, said that he was far ' f.he Anglo-Saxon first and always, and that he believed the peace of th? world for the future was in the hands of the two great nations, Britain and America’, i His sympathies were with the fermef ! first and all the tame, as his occhp**