FARMERS' EMPHATIC PROTEST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 69, 1 May 1945, Page 7

FARMERS' EMPHATIC PROTEST

NEW RATING BURDEN

QUESTION OF CATCHMENT

BOARDS

A protest against any new rating burden which might result was voiced at. the annual conference of the Bay of Plenty Sub-Provincial Executive. of the New Zealand Farmers' Union ,ig\ Tauranga recently when considering the question of catchment boards. The subjcct wns first introduced at a previous meeting of the executive when a decision that the Dominion Executive lie asked to watch carefully the new body to deal with to see that it did not bring about a new rating burden and also that the union look into the question of catchment areas in particular Avas made. The Dominion executive replica that it had been decided that the question should be referred back to the province with the recommendation that the elections to the catchment boards in the area should be carefully watched by the union In the appropriate districts. Dominion Question The Auckland provincial secretary pointed out in a further letter to the Dominion executive that his executive's request was that, the Dominion executive watch carefully the new body to deal with erosion and this particularly with regard to the possibility of that body bringing about a rating burden, s-ince it was empowered to collect rates he understood. ' The desire of the sub-province in putting these motions forward explained the letter, and of the province forwarding them was that thb question should be taken up from a Dominion point of view jlnd not merely handled as a local matter. It was felt that, it would be of little use to watch the elections in one area, or in the areas in the Auckland province, if nothing were done elsewhere. The whole aim and purpose of the resolutions added the letter, was to get the thing put on a Dominion-wide basis.

Replying to this communication the Dominion .secretary suggested that the Auckland executive was under a slight misapprehension. The bod ies which had rating powers were! the local ones and not. the national ones 5 it was stated. As the local bodies had the rating powers continued the it was. essential to watch the elections. While it was very clesirable to put the matter on a Dominion basis as there Avas no national rating body, it was explained that there was not much that could be done, but in the individ* ual districts the farmers could see that the catchment boards did not

waste money. The view that the "buck" had been passed back by the Dominion executive was expressed by the provincial secretary (Mr A. E. Robinson). "Not Satisfactory" After expressing his views on the Mr R. W. Dunning (Rangitaiki Plans) moved to the effect that the reply \va;s not. satisfactory to the sub-province and that a protest be made against any rating of farm lands lor the purpose, being of the opinion that the question was a Dominion one. This was seconded by Mr C. A. Moore (Athenree). It was explained by Mr H. C. McGready (Taneatua) that the authorities had advocated the amalgamation of a good many bodies yet. it was starting new ones. He thought, this was very inconsistent of those in authority. Discussing a meeting held in his Mr A*. E. Martin (Opotiki) said that, everyone thought it was. a good but everyone, wanted to be out of it. After further observations tlie speaker expressed the view that the safest way was to keep out of it altogether. That had been done in Opotiki. ''We have decided that most definitely in OpotikP' lie concluded.