POLICY OF ACTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 April 1939, Page 4

POLICY OF ACTION

DEMANDED BY FARMERS POSITION BECOMING HOPELESS. HAWKE’S BAY RESOLUTION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) HASTINGS, April 28. “In view of the crisis facing the sheep-farmers of the country we must drop routine business and discuss the situation," said Mr R. K. Campbell, chairman of the Hawke’s Bay executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, at a meeting of the executive in Hastings today. "We as an executive are here to watch me farmers’ interests,” he continued, “and as a lead is not forthcoming from the head office, we must take the initiative in Hawke’s Bay. The position of the sheep-farmer was never more hopeless. Are we simply going to sit still and watch the industry collapse,” he asked. “We see the Government establish secondary industries one after the other when not one article manufactured will be sent overseas.”

Mr Campbell expressed the view that this meant that secondary industries would be maintained at the expense of primary industries. Farmers had watched the depreciation of currency and, with a pegged exchange, what benefits did they reap? Increased costs had resulted.

“If you. peg exchange and depreciate the currency you will inevitably destroy your industry,” he continued. “I say that if the present policy of the Government is pursued it means the ruin of us and ultimately of everybody else in the Dominion.” The time had come when farmers must take a stand, said Mr Campbell. He was satisfied that they were only awaiting a leader. Complaints that farmers did not show! interest in the union, had arisen, but farmers would support the union if it was worth supporting. The opportunity was now before them to prove its value. It had been suggested that the amalgamation of the Farmers’ Union and Sheepowners’ Federation would give sufficient influence to make protests heard. “I do not think so for a moment” he said. “We have to go much further than that.” The view of the chairman were fully supported by other members of the executive.

“You no doubt noticed that at a farmers’ meeting in the South Island it was suggested that farmers go out on strike,” said Mr C. R. Edgecombe. “This may or may not be practicable, but it is intolerable to go on working long hours and find the ground cut from beneath our feet. It would be better to work a 40-hour week when taxation and costs have got to the present level and markets for some of our products have been prejudiced against us. As producers we realise our duty to the public but we should demand that they in turn give us fair consideration.”

The following motion was passed: That this executive meeting record its opposition to tne guaranteed price as a solution of the problems facing the primary producer and it emphasises that the disparity between costs and return must be met. It was further resolved to take direct action by convening a meeting of producers to discuss the situation.