The Waikato Times WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1936. THE GUARANTEED PRICE.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19896, 27 May 1936, Page 8

The Waikato Times WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1936. THE GUARANTEED PRICE.

Speaking at Morrinsvillc on Monday the president of the New Zealand Farmers‘ Union, Mr \\'. J. Polson M.P., prcdieted that next year the Government would take over wool and meat, 11nd“: the guaranteed price scheme. The Prime Minister, when questioned about the matter yesterday, Said that only if the marketing of wool and meat should “get into difficulties" would the Government take action. This, it must be admitted, is an altogether ditterent attitude from that adopted during the election. In the official manifeStO 0f the Labour Party, issued on November 8, it was stated Plfliulyi “During the first year after taking otl‘ice the Government will _pay guaranteed prices for all primary production.” The decision to limit the plan to dairy produce was reached soon after Labour became responsible for the control of affairs, and the limitation itself seems to indicate that others besides the Minister of Agriculture regard the move as a tremendous experiment.

There is another divergence of views when the Prime Minister’s latest statement is placed alongside that of his colleague the Minister of Finance at the recent conference of Ward representatives of the dairy industry. Mr Nash mentioned no prior conditions to the extension of the guaranteed price plan. He told the delegates that he hnd attended “to explain new proposals which the Government proposed to put into effect for one section—and ultimately for all sections of primary industries.” And, there can be little doubt that that is the intention. The idea that the Government will stay its hand until the wool and meat sections get into difficulties with “wit marketing is hardly feasible. The reason why the plan was ever propounded was, allegedly, to remove the fluctuations in the incomes of primary producers, and it can be assumed that that is still the intention.

There was a great deal of confusion, during and immediately after the election, as to the form the guaranteed price plan would take, and now there seems to be some confusion, even among the leaders of the party, as to the future policy. If Mr Savage’s statement represents the attitude of the Government then all the wool and meat producers need to do, to prevent the plan being extended to cover their operations, will he to continue the marketing plans that have worked smoothly in the past. But Mr Nash anticipates an extension as soon as the Government deems the time propitious, and in these matters he appears to control the policy.