PRODUCERS URGENT

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1921, Page 1

PRODUCERS URGENT

INCREASED ECONOMY AND LESSONED TAXATION.

The farmers and business men of Wellington are not wholly satisfied with the reply this Prime Minister ieturned to the deputation which waited upon him this week to urge the necessity for vconomy in public expenditure and a reduction in taxation. Though they regret it. thov are not greatly concerned hy Mr Massey’s disposition to regard the deputation as over-pessimistic and some of it* members as hostile politically to himself. They point out. however, that the spokesmen of the deputation confined themselves strictly to statements of fact and carefully avoided any suggestion of party or oven political bias. Had they done otherwise the Minister would have no reason to doubt he was among friends. The object of the deputation, its promoters state emphatically, was to assist the Minister ami his Government in effecting economies with a view to Hehtcning the great burden of taxation w-ffieh. directly and indirectly, m

oppressing tl»‘‘ agrieiiltniai ,11H1 1 merei a 1 communities. Mr W. IX Hunt, win, spoke with nil intimate knowledge of commerce nml finance. as ucll as with a-rictiHnro. fraia the merchants’ point of view as well as the farmer's pill the po.-ii i"0 plainly ami concisely. ■•'l'll,, result of reduced increased ex|M‘iidit lire.” he said, alter showing the ureal fall in priees and the event rise in costs, “is that many fanners are failing to pay their way md a Inroe number will ho quite nn',l,le to i-arrv on” Men like Mr Hunt •Ul.l those associated with him do not talk in this fashion at random •>,- with the purpose of creating alarm. They want, to net at. the real truth -[ the matter and to assist the (loyernment in surmounting the dilheulties <> which it is confronted. lint Mr Massey, the farmers and the business men feel, .lid not q-ute appreciate the cavity of the situation from the producers’ stand-point 1 ,old the men,hers of the deputation that they must avoid the posstmis ,e note, remember what, was due to w< credit oti (lie country and keep I their no u rap;.' under present conditions" This, of course, was admil■thle advice and !<• «»" producers credit it must he admitted that many „f them had anfieipated it hv heim, ..(forts hut it could hri.ii: consolation el onlv an ephemera, kind to the man on the land who. i.i spite nl all ’ ell'orts. finds himself absolutely at the end of,his resources «.,■ helplessly drifti„e toward that catastrophe. ft, is true that the Prime Muustei talked of economies in the piddle service and mentioned the need for lessened taxation. Already, he said a savi,»e of kl .oOO.lKK) has las’ll eitocte.t in the expenditure of the Covernmeiit oe_ partments and it was expected a further £-J.UI(l.00tl would lie saved hv the laloption of the recommendations of tlifl Keomnny Hoard. which had to he sanctioned hv Parliament. Hut ap- ! pa really the savings on the butter and | wheat subsidies are counted among the ! accomplished economies, and certainly , the results of the Kennomy I’.oard. labours will not ho brought to hook d,trine: the current year. If those assumptions are correct very little substantial relief from these sources ran he expected in the near luture. There may lie a gleam of hope for j the sadly perplexed farmers in the aiij nouneement Mr Massey made to the de- ' potation that lie was borrowing half a | million for "a. special purpose.” A very i propor purpose would b<‘ tli»' relit* <> I those farmers who through no fault of their own. nor through any niggardli-

ness .... tin, ,iMi-r of tlif banks or <-oinmfrciul houses that Imve Iron iisststino (horn, iiood furthor holj. to miry llioni over tin- present. ,-risis. Hot this could |,o only a tout.ntivo measure. The press inn ni-i-d is the puhlic economy tluit. will make lessened taxation and wider opportunities possible.