POSITION OF FARMERS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20950, 1 November 1939, Page 13

POSITION OF FARMERS

TE AWAMUTU OPINION MASS MEETING URGED (Special to Times) TE AWAMUTU, Tuesday The action of the various branches of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and kindred bodies in calling mass meetings for the purpose of manifesting the attitude of farmers towards the guaranteed price was considered at the last meeting of the Te Awamutu branch. Mr W. J. Hodgson urged that a mass meeting of district farmers be called at Te Awamutu to discuss the position. Mr C. J. Flay suggested that if a Dominion conference, as proposed by Morrinsville, were called, there would be no necessity for mass meetings beforehand. The position was serious. Two matters open to protest were the State commandeer and control of dairy produce and the continuance of the 40-hour week in organised industry, said Mr J. L. Wallis. The president, Mr W. G. Neill, did i not agree that a mass meeting should be held at present or until the position had been cleared up. Increased Costs j That the Advisory Committee’s rej commendation of two years ago j j should have been accepted by the . ; Government, was the view expressed I |byMrA. S. Wyllie. The Minister j of Finance had estimated the per j cow production higher than the j committee, but, unfortunately, there i was a 10 per cent reduction in production. This meant a serious loss of revenue to the farmers who had ;to face increased costs. The farmer : as a general rule did not shirk sacri- | fices in the national interests, but 1 other sections should be prepared to do likewise. I Mr J. L. Wallis declared that ! though he was strongly opposed to j the Government, he felt that in the national emergency all farmers should be prepared to co-operate or | negotiate. j The president said that he under- ! stood that there would be one District Advisory Council of Primary Production in the Waikato and not, as he had previously thought, separate committees for each dairying ! district. Mr Hodgson stated that the position was that standards were not the result of negotiation by co-operation but they were imposed without negotiation. The farming community was being asked to bear the whole of the burden of sacrifice and other sections of the community were being saved. The union had to take a definite and strong stand, otherwise the farmers would be dictated to by another section which did not understand or recognise the standards which successful farming required. A motion, that in the event of an invitation being received, the branch be represented at a meeting of the District Advisory Council of Primary Production, a pro-tempore delegate or delegates be appointed to act on conditions similar to those imposed by the Auckland provincial ' executive with regard to the provincial president’s attendance at such meeting, was carried on the voices. Mr Neill was appointed delegate.