NATIONAL POLICY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 December 1939, Page 7

NATIONAL POLICY

i RESOLUTIONS AT WAIKATO ' MEETING i TOWN & COUNTRY OPINION i IMPORT CONTROL AND OTHER PROBLEMS. REVISION OF LEGISLATION ADVOCATED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) HAMILTON. December 4. A crowd estimated at between 5000 and 6000 gathered at a mass meeting at Claudelands this afternoon, when various speakers spoke on the need for revision of certain legislation, particularly that relating to import control. Throughout the crowd was very orderly', only isolated heckling being apparrent. The Mayor of Hamilton. Mr H. D. Caro, said it was gratifying to see that town and country were united in organising the meeting, the first of its kind in New Zealand. It showed that the farmers realised the difficulties of the town people and that those living in the towns appreciated the difficulties facing the farmers.. It was only by united action that people could help each other. Mr Caro added that the meeting was strictly non-political. Three resolutions were adopted by • the meeting. The first, on behalf of importers, employers, small retailers and builders. was: — “That this meeting declares that citizens of this part of the Dominion are ready and willing to co-operate with the remainder of the community upon a broad, national and strictly constitutional basis in any efforts that may be| made to restore overseas funds from the shortage from which the community as a whole, must inevitably suffer. Further, this meeting requests the Government to take steps to alleviate such of the wrong from which the community is suffering as can be remedied immediately, and asks the Government for an assurance that it will call a halt in the policy of deliberately controlling the whole economic structure of this Dominion under the guise of war emergency. The second resolution was on behalf of employees:— “That this mass meeting of employees of retail businesses in Waikato expresses immediate concern as to future employment, and urges the Government to modify the import control regulations.” The third was the following motion, moved by Mr A. J. Sinclair. Te Awamutu, and seconded by Mr W. N. Perry, Cambridge:— "That this meeting of Waikato farmers desires to impress upon the Government that constant rises in internal costs and lack of adequate skilled labour on farms, through men being by higher wages and shorter hours, attracted to other avenues of industry have defeated the principles of the guaranteed price scheme and are creating injustice to the community by discouraging that increased production which well-conceived Government policy would have fostered, thus creating potential loss of millions of pounds in sterling funds; further, in existing circumstances, we are compelled to ask the Government for a clear statement specifying its intentions in the direction of reducing costs on farms and up to the point of shipment, and outlining steps it intends to take toward placing the farming community in a position to secure adequate skilled labour at rates and conditions comparable with those enjoyed by other sections of the community rendering equal service.”