FLOOD DAMAGE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 100, 18 August 1944, Page 2

FLOOD DAMAGE

NO REPLY FROM GOVERNMENT MR W. SULLWAN'S CRITICISM Complaint at. the manner in which settlers in his electorate had been treated over flood damage was made by Mr W. Sullivan, National M>.P. for Bay of when speaking in the Budget debate in the House of Representatives. The serious flood damage caused the farmers to rcgrass some of their country two or three times. Mr Sullivan said lie appealed to the Minister of Agriculture as well as the Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet to do all they could to assist, the producers to regrass that country, and to assist them to the extent of 50 per cent in the cost of regrassing and in the cost of fertiliser necessary but not. a threepenny bit was paid by the Government. The Minister of Agriculture left the; farmers to meet the bill, while at the same time the Government was calling for extra production. The Minister was 'in the district, and the at a meeting asked him to secure for them a free giant of 50 per cent of the fertiliser and grass seed required, and assistance in buying the hay t and in the cost of out-grassing the cows and other cattle from areas where no feed was left. "We have not had a reply to the deputation

which waited on the Minister," he saiid. The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Roberts): Have they filled in tlie forms? Mr Sullivan: The Government in effect, 'we will help you to get an advance from the State Advances Department and if you are financial and can pay back the full amount that you borrowed, you will be called upon to pay that. back ? but if you are not so well off and are, not likely to be ab.le to pay the full amount back, we will consider writing some off. If you are unable to pay any of the amount back we will write it all off.' Those were, the terms: of the advances the Government offered. Now, what has the Minister to say to the; people of my electorate, who have been flooded out on two or three occasions and who made application for a free grant of 50 per cent. Mr Sullivan said that the Minister of Works visited the electorate, and every proposition that was put to him he dealt with in a practical way. He understood the, problems immediately he had time to visualise them and when lie gave an understanding it was carried out. The Minister of Agriculture, on the, other hand said: 'I will take back this; message to Wellington and I will discuss the matter with Cabinet. You may depend on it that I will do, and the Cabinet will do everything humanly possible to assist you.' "Now" emphasised Mr Sullivan, "we have had no reply to our appeal."