Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

THE BUTTER LEVY

FARMERS PROTEST AGAIN THE "CLASS TAX" , Tho butter levy was discussed at'some length yesterday by. the Wellington Conference of tha farmers' Union. TheBubiecfc was-brought forward;by. Mr. 11. Vautier (Whakaronga), ■ who moved mi •behalf-of his branch: "That in view of tho hem taxation on.the land,' Parliament be asked to allow, all farm.produce to be Placed on the open -market;" •Ho said the land was the source of all wealth and all taxes, and he : considered tho oroduco of tho land-should have an open market. : v • Mr. T. Campbell (Kauwhata) seconded the motion. • He referred to the tax on butter imposed by the-Government in tho form, of a maximum local price, - The -tax amounted to .tl per cow, and it fell 'Upon the- class- of .the comuuinity-least abieto. bear such a burden.- The butter tax was. a class tax, oripVrio sound; argument had ever been advanced in its faTour. Tho cost of providing cheap'butter for New Jioaland consumers ought,to fall upon the Consolidated Fund. ■ Mr. E.-. Law (Sharmon) supported this view.. ..Well-to-do people were, being Eivon -'oheap butter at' the ■'expense -. of : : the poorer section of the'dairy farmers. '.The buttbr producers' were -not getting 'the, full export' jjrice-" ' Even the 'full export price, which stood at 181s. per cwi, was not.Tair. The"butter pro-' dncers ought to get : 1905.' per!-civt., in order to'be on a parity with cheeso. ' . .Several btlier delegates.-spoko on sini'ilnr lines.

Mr. •'-'(>. M'Gregor (Waverjey). asked where, the farmers would have been now - if all farm .produce had.been placed on the open market. (Hear, hear.) ' '-■'-' Mr. Campbell:''We mean the New Zealand local'market. ' .'•'-■•'■ M'Gregor: The farmer would have been in a bad way if' ho' had depended on ah open market during recent years. Mr. A. J. Parker (Hukunui) said the remit as framed apniicd to cheese, and this was not advisable. The cheese producers had -made a'good'bargain,-and were quite satisfied. As a matter of "fact the Imperial Government would ' gladly cancel the cheese' purchaso and the cheese producers to sell on the open market. ' . f ' Mr; Campbell said the cheese prodncr ers had made a good bargain at the expense of the butter producers. The •position was most unfair;- He wanted to force the New Zealand Government to take\money out. of the Public Fund to cover'the loss on,the sale of butter be-, low the export price.. . . ' ' ~ The.following amendment was moved bv Mr. Packer: "That; this conference requests Parliament to prohibit any further meddling with the.. open market in favour of New Zealand consumers." This amendment was defeated. ... '' .A further /.amendment: -"That the Farmers' Union protests against the nc-, tion of the Government in fixing the price of butter 2W. per lb. below, the export price,"'was ...moved! by Mv.' H.. Vile (Palmerston North). -• Mr. If.'A. Nevi'ns (Tinui) said it wiis regrettable that farmers were disposed to take sectional views 'of these questions. It was beyond his' comprehension how

some butter producers had Brought themselves to approve of a proposal that the cheese producers should pay,a part'of the butter levy. : The butter levy was essentially unfair. It was a class tax. . which fell upon the poorest section' of the farmers, including many returned soldiers. < If, - the. consumers were. to have butter, at less.'than -the market price, the loss should fall-upon the pub- -,. lie revenue. ..' . '... .' Mr. W. B. Matheson (Eketahuna) said the question was a very big one. There was,a remit on thc-order-phpet suggesting that the farmers should, try to reach o better understanding, with Labour. The present uestion ..was really a question of a-fair deal to Labour. He migKested the following amendment: "That, •when Parliament reduces'the product of nnv man's labour for the public good the cost should be recouped to such lahour from the public funds." - Other delegates objected to the farmer being Warned ..for all .high. prjees.-.The farmers did not -know-.who' was getting Uhe big profits.' The cost of a pound of. wool in Wellington to-day was at least 12s. or 15s.', and the people were told that the farmers got the money. The farmer received only .a few. pence out of that price. A delegate' suggested the farmers should take steps to.put their side of the ease before the.-public.. The amendments moved by Mr. Tile arid Mr. Matheson'were joined together and adopted. , _. . There was some discussion as. to whether the resolution should be presented to the Government by the Wellington Conference or merely referred, to the Dominion Conference. - The resolution finally was referred to the Dominion Conference. . y

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19190528.2.78

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 208, 28 May 1919, Page 9

Word count
Tapeke kupu
741

THE BUTTER LEVY Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 208, 28 May 1919, Page 9

THE BUTTER LEVY Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 208, 28 May 1919, Page 9

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert