FARM PROBLEMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 May 1938, Page 8

FARM PROBLEMS

IMPORTANCE OF FREEHOLD STRESSED ASPECTS OF THE PRICE POSITION GUARANTEED & COMPENSATING SCHEMES. CONFERENCE DISCUSSION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “It is absolutely essential that we, as a Union should make every endeavour to see that all farmers should have the right to make their farms freehold,” said Mi’ J. Livingstone, of Dannevirke, chairman of the Farmers’ Union conference. “Any increment that results to the value of land through intensive farming should be the farmer’s and be available to mortgage against further improvements. People don’t like to lend money on land at the present time and most of our farms are deteriorating through lack of capital expenditure. That is where the fault lies, rather than in the inefficiency of farmers.”

In a subsequent discussion at the conference, it was pointed out that, despite the Prime Minister’s suggestion that the question of a tribunal should be very carefully considered before a decision was made, the whole of the dairy industry had asked for a tribunal and could not do other than press for its establishment. Another point made was that the compensatory price was a plank of the Union’s platform, and that no decision should be made which would preclude consideration of the scheme by the suggested tribunal. A definite lead should be given as to how the compensatory price should be put into operation. The detailed working out of- the guaranteed price had not been discussed with the dairy industry and care should be taken to see that the principles underlying the compensatory price scheme were generally understood and approved. It was decided that remits and suggestions bearing on the proposed tribunal be redrafted for submission to the conferertce later.