CAUSES OF DECLINE

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20950, 1 November 1939, Page 11

CAUSES OF DECLINE

PRIMARY PRODUCTION UNPRODUCTIVE WORKS TARANAKI PROPOSALS (Special to Times) NEW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday Proposals calculated to eliminate the cause of the decline of primary production ere enumerated by the president of the South Taranaki executive of the Farmers’ Union, Mr W. A. Sheat, at a mass meeting of 700 farmers at Hawera to-day. A resolution endorsing the suggestions and calling upon the Government to take immediate action was passed unanimously. The resolution was: “That this meeting, being convinced that an increase in primary production is urgently necessary both to assist the Empire in its war effort and to solve the trade and financial difficulties of the Dominion, assures the Government of its earnest desire to bring about such increase. We are, however, convinced that such increase is not possible unless the causes which have led to declining production are at once removed.” Survey of Public Works The meeting called on the Government to undertake a national survey of public works with the object of immediately closing down all works of unproductive and nonessential character to ensure a maximum concentration of men and resources for production, to remove all hampering restrictions upon work and in particular to suspend the 40hour week for the period of the war and to reduce drastically general public expenditure. The Government was further urged to fix prices for produce at levels which would adequately cover costs of production for all producers, or alternatively to reduce the present artificially inflated level of costs so as to enable production to expand, and to give an unqualified undertaking that any increased powers of control over the industry assumed since September 1 would be removed as speedily as possible after the termination of the war.