Higher Levy Approved

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 44, 7 May 1948, Page 5

Higher Levy Approved

District Pig Council Will Accept 3d Rise After discarding a counterproposal that aimed at getting the necessary revenue by taking Id in the £ off every cheque that left the bacon works, the annual meeting of the Bay of Plenty District Pig Council agreed, on Tuesday, to accept the proposed rise in levy from 3d to 6d a head, subject to its being passed by the National Pig Council in Wellington.

Introducing the subject, which led to considerable discussion, the chairman, Mr D. S. Ross, said the National Council was concerned over the lack of working capital at its disposal. At present he continued, the Council was working at Hd above the revenue that was being brought in by the 3d a head levy. As costs were rising all the time, it was essential that the Council’s finances be established on a sound basis to guarantee its future activities. The continued operation of the District Pig Councils was directly dependent on the levy because their funds came in directly from the levy, through the National Council. He stressed the value to the farmers from the activities of the District Councils. Mr H. M. Pierson traced the way the pig industry had improved through the efforts of the Pig Councils. He pointed out that over the last few years through the guiding of the Pig Supervisors, over £500,000 had been spent by farmers to improve their pig housing facilities. The Supervisors he said had, also been responsible for the improved type and quality of pigs and pig meat and also for the current reduction in the diseases in pigs. He also stated that though the farmers had paid a levy of 3d .which amounted to approximately £BO,OOO they had received back over £300,000 in the form of crop and other subsidies, so he thought they had a pretty good investment.