MARKETING METHODS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 October 1939, Page 2

MARKETING METHODS

AMENDMENTS TO ACT CONDEMNED. RESOLUTION AT MORRINSVILLE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) HAMILTON, October 19. The opinion that the emergency powers assumed by the Government under the Marketing Amendment Act bore an appearance of socialism was expressed by speakers at a mass meeting of farmers held in Morrinsville today. In a resolution, which was adopted unanimously, the meeting protested against the legislation and demanded that at the next session of Parliament it should be amended. It is estimated that' more than 1500 farmers attended. Moved by Mr F. W. Seifert, chairman of directors of the Morrinsville Co-op. Dairy Company, the following resolution . was also adopted unanimously:— “That this meeting of farmers of Morrinsville and surrounding districts fully realises that the best contribution farmers can make to New Zealand and the Mother Land is to increase the production of primary produce, but must emphatically draw the attention of the Government to the fact that stimulus to production cannot be brought about so long as the farming industry, through inadequate prices, is unable to pay competitive rates of wages and meet increased costs of porduction. With a full knowledge of our responsibilities to the country, we definitely express the opinion that the increased -costs of the farming industry, the wages required for increased labour on farms and to take produce to the point of shipment and other expenditure necessary to stimulate production, necessitate our demanding from the Government a price not less than the price for dairy produce suggested by the Dairy industry Council in its representations to the Minister of Marketing. This price is a just one and should be paid for the 1939-40 dairy season."

A third resolution, moved by Mr M. E. Barrowclough, president of the Morrinsville branch of the Farmers' Union, and adopted, demanded that the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union call a national conference of primary producers to discuss the position with the Government and to demand an -urgent answer. In the event of an unsatisfactory reply being received, the meeting promised to support the executive in any action it might consider necessarj’ along the lines of resolutions adopted at the meeting.