FARMERS’ LOYALTY

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20953, 4 November 1939, Page 9

FARMERS’ LOYALTY

NEEDS OF PRODUCTION FEELING IN TE KUITI (Special to Tlmes.i TE KUITI, Friday A meeting of farmers and their wives to protest against legislation involving the socialisation of production, held in Te Kuiti this morning, was easily the largest meeting of farmers in the Northern King Country for many years. A resolution was carried unanimously that while the farmers at the meeting were prepared to do their share in coping with the war emergency, they were determined to resist to the fullest extent* the socialisation of the product of their labour, and emphatically protested against the procedure which had been followed in the fixation of the guaranteed price for dairy produce. More than 300 were present. Farmers, it was stated, would not cavil at the prices for produce granted by England; the trouble was the high internal costs. All speakers held that on present costs the prices did not allow any margin to be devoted to development that would increase production. As proof of the farmers’ loyalty, it was stated that Northern King Country farmers were practically stripped of men during the last war and that the proportion of volunteers from this area was larger than the average for the special force. HAURAKI PLAINS > CROWDED MEETING ADDRESSED (Special to Times) THAMES, Friday Further evidence that the farming community of the Hauraki Plains was solid in support of the National Party was given today when the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. A. Hamilton, addressed a crowded meeting in the Ngatea Hall. Mr Hamilton was accompanied by Mr W. S. Goosman, M.P. for Waikato, who is attending to the affairs of the Hauraki electorate while Mr J. M. Allen, member for Hauraki, is in camp. Mr F. W. Doidge, M.P. for Tauranga, was also present. The county chairman, Mr B. W. Parfett, presided. The following motion was carried: —“This meeting expresses its willingness to do its utmost to assist in the prosecution of the war, but places on record its dissatisfaction with the Government’s attitude to matters which are of vital concern to the well-being and encouragement of country districts. It also expresses its determination to arouse the whole country to the disunity and uncertainty this has created.”