HOPEFUL FARMERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 200, 7 January 1942, Page 5

HOPEFUL FARMERS

WAITING FOR SUBSIDY MONEY

THE CHANGE OVER TO CHEESE

Probably about £5000 of Government money will be distributed among upward* of 200 cheese factory suppliers in the Whakatane County in the near future. This represents the subsidy or allowance of £27 10s which the Government promised last year to pay to farmers who were obliged to change over from butter factories to cheese factories.

Inquiries farmers indicate that they are still waiting for the Government to redeem its promise and pay out this subsidy. In the meantime most of these farmers have overdrafts and accounts to be paid to local business linns, soi that a cheque from the Government would be a welcome reinforcement to bank accounts.

No doubt the Government is also finding it no> easy task to finance the war and still pay its comparatively sunall accounts, such as the subsidy of £27 10s to each new cheese supplier. Therefore farmers are not complaining. They are just in thai hopeful state of mind which is widespread before the bonus for the dairying season is paid out.

The 1 Government has made it clear that the sum of £27 10s is. not to be regarded as a grant to defray the cost of new plant required for milk supply. Instead it is to cover depreciation on plant such as milk vats, mi-Ik coolers, milk stands, etc. which will be of little value, should these farmers have to discontinue supplying chepse factories after the war. However what local farmers arc more concerned about is that they are to get a cheque from the Government, and that, like next Christmas, it is "coming," but not here yet. We understand that local farmers entitled to this allowance of £2i7 10s will, shortly be circularised and asked to submit their accounts, for new installed, as a preliminary to receiving the money from the Gov-

eminent.