MR. RANSOM’S REPLY TO HON. A. D. McLEOD

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 131, 2 March 1928, Page 10

MR. RANSOM’S REPLY TO HON. A. D. McLEOD

Sir, —The Minister of Lands, in reply to my letter, raises another question, namely, the correctness of my statement that lie agreed that loans to farmers to engage unemployed would be too popular. To clear this matter up it will be necessary to state all the facts, which are as follow: — On July ‘2l, from my place in the House, I asked the Prime Minister “Whether, in view of the serious unemployment, the Government would take into favourable consideration the advisability of granting loans to farmers on the amortisation principle extending over a period of from five to ten vears for the purpose of providing work for those now out of employment, such work to include scrub cutting, blackberry eradication, -gorse grubbing, stumping, draining, etc.” By this means farmers would be able to carry out much-needed improvements, of which their own finances would pot permit, and work would be found for those out of employment. The outcome would be a considerable increase in the Dominion’s production. The suggestion was that the loans should be a charge on the land so improved. If such a course as that proposed were adopted some of the most serious problems confronting the country would be partially solved without any loss to the Government, but rather with profit to the Dominion.

Mr. Coates said he was sorry he had not had an opportunity of going into the question, but that the Minister of Finance would reply. The following is contained in the Hon. Downie Stewart’s reply:—“He said the two objects aimed at by the member for I’ahiatua were admirable, namely, assisting to relieve unemployment, and helping to improve farm lands. Some such proposal had been considered by the Government from time to time, but there were various difficulties in the way. In the first place, if these loans were made on specially favourable terms it would undoubtedly mean that a tremendous number of applications would be received from all over the country. The main difficulty was the widespread applications that would come in. If it were a purely local problem in one district, it might be possible to work out some such scheme as was worked out after the Wainiarino fire. In that case the Government made advances to farmers for grass seed and other requirements, and he believed the whole amount was repaid after a few years.” In discussing this matter with the Minister of Lands, he agreed with what the Minister of Finance had said, and jocularly remarked, “Well, Ransom, I have plenty of scrub I would like to cut, and could do with a bit of it mvself,” and I replied, “And so could I.”

This, I think, establishes my argument that the proposal I made was calculated to be too popular.

I notice that the Minister brushes all my other points aside bv saying that thev can wait for another time and place, and that they are all incorrect. At Te Awamutu the Minister, challenged his opponents to meet him on the public platform and thresh out their differences. I suggest that the best place to settle our differences is on the public platform, and I am prepared to meet the Minister on anv platform he cares to name, if he will give me one week’s notice.—l am, etc., E. A. RANSOM. March 1.