MR SAVAGE REPLIES

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20958, 10 November 1939, Page 7

MR SAVAGE REPLIES

FARMERS’ UNION LETTER OTHERS HAVE HIGH COSTS FAIR SHARE OF INCOME PRIVATE ENTERPRISE WARNED (By TelegrapH.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Thursday Commenting on the letter he had from Mr W. W. Mulholland, president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, said today that there was nothing the farmer could say about high costs that could not be said about other sections of the community. As far as the farmers were concerned there was now more stability than ever. Mr Savage said a better balance had to be secured in internal affairs. “We are anxious to see that farming is extended, but it must be realised that there are other sections of the community who need some consideration,” he said. “If the farmers get more than their fair share of New Zealand’s income, other people get less.” Mr Savage added: “If private enterprise cannot carry out our promise to Britain, the Government will have seriously to consider other methods of doing the job.” CONTRIBUTION TO WAR PRIME MINISTER CONFIDENT FARMERS’ CO-OPERATION NEED (By TelegrrapD.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Friday A reply to the letter by the president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, Mr W. W. Mulholland, referring to the need for increasing primary production as the Dominion’s main contribution to the war, has been received by Mr Mulholland from the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage. It states: “You may rest assured that the Government is fully alive to the necessity of increasing production, and as a matter of fact is already engaged in having a complete survey made of the possibilities in this direction. Personally, I have every confidence in the farmers of the Dominion doing their share in the work of producing an ever-increasing supply of primary products, which will be so necessary in winning the war. “I certainly do not share your opinion that the people of the United Kingdom should not rely on what is being done. I firmly believe that with the co-operation of your union and other bodies concerned, the people of Britain will not be disappointed.” CONTRAST NOTED WAIKATO FARM DEMAND MR NASH AND MR HAMILTON (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Thursday A contrast between the report of a speech by the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. A. Hamilton, at Palmerston North, in which he declared there was dissatisfaction among farmers, and a report from Hamilton which spoke of a keen demand for farms in the Waikato, was drawn by the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, in an interview. Mr Nash remarked that land was usually in demand when it was profitable to use it. While the Government was quite willing to examine all representations made by farmers, the evidence of the factual statement from the Waikato suggested that farming was still an avenue for the investment of funds, and that if the town of Hamilton was right then Mr Adam Hamilton was not.