DUTY ON WHEAT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2133, 27 April 1914, Page 8

DUTY ON WHEAT

AND RURAL WORKERS' HOMES. (By Telegraph.—Press Associations Walmate, April 25. .'At tho annual meeting of the Waixuato branch of the Farmers' Union, today Mr. Alfred Garland, the president, in his address, said that tho farmers had had a successful year, and a very good sign was tho absonco of grumbling. IL'uero was, in fact, hardly, a grumbling man amongst the farmers. Tho futurewas viewed with contidonco, and it was a fact that credit amongst the , farmers was particularly good just now. In ;ho towns, on tho contrary, there were many instances or" the tendency of persons to live extravagantly, being curbed and restrained, however, by tho banks. The old question of putting a duty on wheat had como up. Tho Canterbury executive had suggested a movable duty, ensuring that-no outside country could send wheat into New Zealand unless wheat hero went higher than 4s. He thought that there was somoj>rosjject of this being in spite of Hhe opposition from tho North island. Tho Government realised that, if the area of, wheat was reduced seriously, there would- bo considerable industrial loss, and a loss of national' revenue through the railways. 'The advantage of tho rural workers' homes' system was obvious, and, once the working man realised what could be done with a fiveocro section in tho way of apple-grow-ing, poultry-rearing,- etc., besides getting a nice home in open, healthy surroundings, the scheme .would become popular. ■ The complaint was that people flocked to the towns, instead of jiving in the country, _ but he 'asked ■what homes were provided for people in "the country? He considered that this scheme should also *be made to work in to assist waterside workers to profitably employ their spare time. The Technical School shearing class had done good work, and other' classes in South Canterbury likewise.': If this branch had" done else, it had broken down tho close corporation that the. shearers wished to make of their, art.