FARMERS’ PLIGHT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 15, 15 December 1932, Page 8

FARMERS’ PLIGHT

DISCUSSION BY UNION. DECISIVE ACTION URGED. An intimation that a large meeting of primary producers was to be held in AVellington on Ja.nuary 17 to consider the position of the farming industry led to a brief discussion at a meeting of the executive of the Dairy Farmers’ Union in Palmerston North this a.fternoon. It was announced, that Mr AA r . J. Poison, M.P., would he one ,of the speakers. Mr AV. H. Gimblett: Mr Poison is 'the president of the Farmers’ Union, hut he has been on every side of the fence. Members of the Produce Board put the position clearlv to the Prime ! Minister, and left without anv hope [being given them. I do not think a. I meeting of this kind will achieve much. Farmers want to take the matter into their own hands. Mr H. Seifert: I take it that all farmers realise the desperate plight of .the industry. Unless something is done an absolute rot will set in. ,

Mr Gimblett expressed the opinion that there was no hope of unanimity at such a. meeting, where many conflicting opinions would be advanced. “Every possible avenue will have to ho searched to give relief, not only to the fanners, hut to the whole of the rest of the community,” stated Mr Seifert. “The farmers are ; the foundation of the industry, but they are not the only ones. It may mean a higher rate of exchange and a reduced rate of interest. It will he the aim, I take it, by those in authority, to have the Farmers’ Union consolidated on various points.” . Mr J. Boyce: The Farmers’ Union will probably have some sort of proposition to put before the meeting. The chairman (Mr N. Campbell): They have. Mr Seifert: It ha.s never been altered as far as I know. Mr B. Short said he could not see any essential difference between the poiicy being advanced by the farmers and that put forward by the Chambers of Commerce. . . The chairman said the position of the nrimary producers was critical. “Let us tackle the problem of exchange with both hands and clean it up,” stated Mr Seifert. Mr Short: That will not reduce fanners’ capital one iota. Mr Seifert: AVhile we continue to follow the road of deflation we must cut down capital. Mr Boyce: And then you destroy your security. It is about time we tackled the matter with common sense. To me it is as easy as falling off a log. There never was any need for a slump. There is merely a shortage of money in circulation. There is a glut of everything else. It is the advice of the financiers that lias got us into aur difficulties. AVhile there is plenty of food and clothing in the world there is no necessity for any to go short. It is a question of managed currency. “I do not believe in repudiation, but I am an Old Country man and there when a man cannot meet his obligations, lie files in bankruptcy,” said Mr A. N. Morcom. “It is the honest thing to do. Two years ago there was a man whom I would have helped to tar and feather, but wo may be yet following his policy.” It was decided that the unioipshould be represented at the meeting by Messrs N. Campbell, J. Boyce, AV. H. Gimblett, B. Short, L. Poupard, A. Morcom and E. O. Bond.