FARMERS' NEEDS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2211, 25 July 1914, Page 8

FARMERS' NEEDS

DEPUTATION TO THE PRIME MINISTER GRADUATED LAND TAX REQUEST FOR AMENDMENT A large deputation,! consisting of delegates to the New Zealand Farmers' Union Conference, waited on the Prim'e Minister yesterday and placed before--him' remite passed at the conference. Mr. J. W. Leadley was the speaker, and he said that one of the most important matters dealt with by the delegates was that of ;land valuation. They felt that in making a valuation of land the unimproved value was unfairly forced up. Sorno consideration should bo paid for improvements which" woro not so apparent, such as clearing of land, etc. ,The Native land tax question was another matter of importance. European .land was rated for roads, and tho Native land enjoyed the benefit. Further, they thought that, with regard to the .graduated land tax eomo consideration should 'bo. shown to settlers who had large families. Pushing on of the Main Trunk lines, notably the South Island Main Trunk and the East Coast line was another important matter. Back-block schools should be considered; differential railway rates were objected to; encouragement should bo given to immigration of farm labour, and domestic servants. Better medicalassistance for the back country was also' a matter requiring,attention as tho present hospital system was unfair to tho back country. As to industrial matters they desired to discuss them\in camera. ;, Native Land Rates. Mr. Massoy, in replying,,said that he was pleased to heaT the conference had been so successful. Native land rating was an.old subject, and it was a difficult subject. It was dealt with, to a certain extent, last year, and local authorities were in a better position today, so far as the collecting of rates from Native'land went, than they had previously' been in. Where' it ivas not I possible to. collect- the rates for two or three years they could be left as a lien upon the.land, to be collected in the future. Local bodies all over the North Island, had expressed satisfaction at that provision, and, on the whole,, it was' working very well. As to the graduated tax, Mr. Massey said, that lie agreed with the statement made that the graduated tax was, on account of the increase in valuation, beginning to press somewhat heavily on the small farmers.. Few people realised that the tax commenced at £5000, and that meant 100 acres at £50 an acre; arid £50 an acre was not an unknown thing in Taranaki, and in some parts of Otago and Canterbury. They had to be very careful how they dealt with the graduated tax. He was glad to see that during the last two years there had/been a termendous increase in the rate of subdivision of the larger estates; A return was being prepared, and he thought that it would be surprising to Parliament when sio was able to present it. It would show that subdivision was going on at tho rato of nearly a' million < acres a year. Hβ thought that it was very satisfactory from the point of view of those who desired to see settlement proceed rapidly. He did not think there would be any amendment to the graduated tax. this session. When the Government thought it necessary to have an amendment ho would seriously consider those settlers who had large families,, and wero: trying to provido for their sons. ; i' , '•.■'•; Main Trunk Linos. - With, regard to Main ..Trunk- lines he' said that, since tho outlook for New Zealand produce.had improved so well as it had done during the last twelve months, the Government had come to the conclusion that a strong forward movement was necessary, not,only in connection with the building of railways, but ■in the making of . roads. (Hear, hear.) The Government was impressed with tho need for completing the two lines mentioned at the earliest possible date. He was not able, at the moment, to say what sum they proposed to set apart for the two lines this sos-' sion, -but both would be provided for. The difficulty with the. Main Trunk of tile South Island was the nature of the country. Up to .the present tho sur-. veyors had not been able to fix upon what they believed to be the best route/ The Government realised the necessity of completing the railwav, to give access from Picton to the Bluff. Education for Back-blocks. The- Government realised the disadvantages the back-block settler was in-,' with regard to education. Under the Education Amendment Bill they, were doing their best to meet the difficulty. The matter of preferential rating would, no doubt, be dealt with by tho General Manager of Railways, in his report. With regard to immigration the Government had been encouraging and assisting two classes of labour, farm labourers and domestic servants. They had been careful about bringing people to this country who, would become- unemployed, or. who vould be the cause of unemployment''for others. They realised the proper policy was to fill iipthe waste places with' their own people, and that, was the direction in which they were going. The boys they had brought out had been' very satisfactory. Hβ did not think the naval policy would'affect tho farmers, so far as it meant taking, away their labour. ■ ■ . Mr. Leadloy: We'are not objecting to the policy. . - . : Mr. Masses said that tho position as regarded naval defence was better than it was some time ago. As to valuation, ho pointed out that the . Government did not want excessive, valuation. They wanted to keep rather under the selling value than over it. He promised to get the Minister of Public Health to have a report made on the remitpassed by the conference, suggesting that tlie counties should have control of their .hospital levies.