COSTS AND PRICES

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20269, 11 August 1937, Page 6

COSTS AND PRICES

FARMERS’ DILEMMA. OPINION AT BUNNY PARK. FEW VOTE ON A MOTION. (Special to Times). MATAMATA, Wednesday. A motion opposing the guaranteed price scheme put forward at the annual meeting of suppliers to the Sunny Park Co-op. Dairy Company Ltd., yesterday, was not enthusiastically received, but was eventually declared carried after a very small proportion of those attending had raised their voices. The motion, moved by Messrs. E. T. Wise and C. H. Dearlove, read:— “ That this meeting Is definitely not In favour of the guaranteed prlos scheme and strongly protests against ministerial statements that tho majority of farmers are In favour of the scheme." Mr. Wise stated that by working his wife, which he disapproved of, s farmer might be able to overcome Increased labour costs. The motion was contentious, but It was his opinion that the guaranteed price was not fair to the farmer. There was every indication of the pr-i.'e of butter keeping up owing to the heavy armament programme in Britain and he felt they ! should be allowed to control their own produce. Farm Labour Costs. Mr. C. H. Dearlove, in seconding ths motion, said that farm labour costs bad Increased 20 per oent. since 1929, and that farmers sold on a 60-hour week and bought on a 40-hour week. Mr. A. M. A. Wright said that the term “guaranteed price” was wrong} it was a fixed price. The Chairman: It is a commandeer. ! Continuing Mr. Wright stated that j It had been said that there was a suri plus of £BOO,OOO in the national cheese i account and It was too much to carry over. Answering & question, the chairman I said that the compensated price aimed j to recompense the farmer automatically i for any increase in costs during ths season. Last season the Government may have fixed a fair price. Approximately, it had been Id. per lb more than In the previous season, but on ths other hand costs had gone up 2d per lb. so that they were Id worse off. The compensated price would correct this. Personally he was opposed to both the guaranteed price and the compensated price. Alternative Wanted. Mr. T. A. Hopkins doubted the wisdom of the motion, hi the past butter had dropped from Is 9d to 8d per lb ; and It might happen In the future and | wher © would the farmer be then? He was not in favour of the farmer going on the open market as things were especially when other sections of the community were being guaranteed wages. Air. A. T. Grayling supported this view and stated farmers should have an alternative plan to put forward If they desired to smash the guaranteed price. Mr. H. Avard said the farmers grievance was against rising costs and not the guaranteed price. ■Mr. J. Sanders said the compensated price was the solution. Summing up the chairman, Mr. J. Bell stated that he thought Mr. Wise* wished to protest against the statements that farmers were satisfied. There was a lot In what Mr. Hopkins had said about the possibility of • slump after the armament programme was completed. On the motion being put to the meeting very few voted and the chairman declared the motion carried on voices.