NATIONAL ECONOMY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 April 1939, Page 6

NATIONAL ECONOMY

MR NASH ADVOCATES STABILISATION ADDRESS TO DOMINION DAIRY CONFERENCE. DEFICIT IN EXPORT ACCOUNT. i (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The necessity for stabilisation in New Zealand’s economy was stressed by the I Hon. W. Nash (Minister of Marketing) ‘ addressing the Dominion Dairy Confer- [ ence today. He suggested that dairy . farmers should agree to accept the pre- ’ sent guaranteed price for the T 939-40 • season, that being one way of bringing t about the stabilisation desired. He said I he had put the View of the necessity . for stabilisation to a recent -conference of the Federation of Labour. A delegate: “That did they say?” Mr Nash: “They passed a vote of confidence and appreciation in the Minister of Finance.” Mr Nash reviewed the Dairy Industrv Account and showed that up to date there was a deficit this season of £870,249 and said the deficit would probably be a little more than a million pounds. Dismissing the £272,000 paid in previously from the Consolidated Fund and last year’s surplus of £500,000 Short of the price they had paid out. Mr Nash referred to the Government’s efforts to improve the position of sterling funds and pointed out that such a course, combined with some effort at stabilisation, was essential to keep the cost spiral from growing. He also stressed the desirability • of getting men, for’instance those employed by public bodies, and who might be doing what might be called non-productive work, into some foim of productive work. Whether it be on farm or in factory, and said he wotild be glad to co-operate with other Ministers in endeavouring to bring that about. He also pointed out that higher freights were being sought for the carriage of New Zealand produce and said the Government -had told the shipping companies the Government would take the responsibility for organising waterfront work, by which it was hoped that charges would be lower. An address was -also given by the Hon. W. Lee Martin (Minister of Agriculture), who said the two most important requirements leading directly to the improvement of the whole of the dairy industry were:— . . (1) A reduction, in disease, bringing about a longer milking life of cows in other words lessening replacement. (2) An increase in the production capacity of replacement stock, t He spoke of the position of farmersas a result of the dry spell this year March production being down 3,000 tons on March of last year, but that was not all, 'for unless farmers could bring their stock safely through the. winter "With proper feed and attention, it would hb impossible for them to ensure adequate production next year. The matter was giving his Department serious concern, but he felt that, "with the organisation that existed nothing would be lacking, so far as the Department was concerned. With regard to disease, he had approached the Minister of Finance for funds to make a start with a Dominion-wide scheme and had his assurance that the money would be forthcoming if it were possible to do so. With regard to the le.placement of 'stock, he said herd testing required broadening; hence the proposals of the Dairy Board for the . development of a plan whereby bull ‘ testing took its rightful place along - with cow testing. ‘ ;