WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1923, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES

REMISSION OF TAXATION

FLAX FAIIMICKS' GIiiEVANCT

(Special to '‘Guardian"). WELLINGTON, Aug. A.

The ilax farmers of the Dominion are not a numerous company, ami they cannot expected lu.exercise a ft re fit deal of political influence; hut jusl now limy hare a grievance which is likely to appeal lo other-, than those directly interested in tlicir industry. The Land and Income Tax Amendment Kill, which was introduced in the House oi Bepiescillatite.s la-t week and is intended to relieve mnners from the Income tax imposed upon them during the war. specially cxehuics incomes derived from timber, minerals and Ilax trnm its provisions. The exclusion of incomes obiained fiom timher and minerals trom l|i • ir-• 11 i'si (!11 is h 'deal enough. Xe;ih,.r ruining r .or saw milling can he regaid- ,.,} fanning, since neither the minerals nor trie forest' have been cultivated bv the hand of man. By and by.when the Forestry Department has persuaded lunuers to raise crops of trees tor commercial purposes ir may be necessary to exempt the resulting profits from income tax, but meanwhile this question has not arisen. FLAX FARMING.

In those da vs, however, the cultivation of (lax. the growers and millers insist, m overv hit. as much fanning as is

the g row in e „f cereals or the raising of si ock. The great Ilax swamps—those that were proliTablv accessible, at any i a te-~ which supnlied the raw material for the early milling operations loneami disappean'd helore the inroads of closer settlement, li is said positively that no uncultivated flax is being milled to-day. The plants are now as assiduously cultivated as are crops ol root' or grain and in many eases at a < onsiderahly larger cost. The land has to he sysiematieallv and thoroughly drained, the drains have 1 to bo carefully

leaded day bv da.v, weeds have to he destroyed and every possible precaution laben agxibi-i tire. The nr I of all Rna is from three to live times as much lithe cost of lolling Ini'll and gra >sin g the cleared land, am! the flax-fanner often has to wait four times as long a-: ihe tiioiieer settler has for his no uni'. THE (■ R>> WK! •! AND THE MILLET!. Auer ihe Ilax crop lias been establish,.<l it siili needs coll.'lati! and skill-

ed iiitention. 'i’l e drains have to In kept ill onler. weeds have- lo lie kept down at any prii e, weakly plants have to be rejihieed by stronger one' and I lie ravages of slock and pests have to he guarded against. It e, true that iiiosi of the Ihix-larmers are also flaxmiller'. but thi' clearly is tin reason why thee s 1 i;a!1 1 ! lie leinoved from l:.e (alegery iii primar;, produeers. ’I he ile\-iariiier i n-aialL a ffax-milici- for l lie good a lid -allies l , i. lea son I ieii IsI i,: is i me in! fad II i'e a- well a- handle the pi odiiet of in- lii'm. A - oia- lar m-ei--tle.x-n;i!h-r ha - p h-,u ,i ,mi. there ate \ria- large areas oi i cdigeoii-' grasses, prilieijially in lice Soulh l-hnid carrying large lloeks ( ,f slieep and herds ol ee tile, whose oecupaiits might be mneli more logu-aliv denied the benefit in' the i in-oinc tax exempt ion than the llax-g.ro-.', el's, with their intell-e euitlv.il ion. ,a ii lag A NATIOX Ai, AS-'KT. Tin Ilax-.farmers make no elaim foi -pi f-Uil eoii-.iderat ion ill this reseed on aero il ill of tile diiiieiilties I fiat have beset their industry during, the 1.-c-t year or two. The ehie| ol these, the yellow leaf di ease, lie- cost i hem t hull-aml- of pounds in lo" r,| mu material, but t hey i t alise f hat oi her pro liners have suffered ill a similar nay. They do leuleml, howiver, that Ilex-growing should I'er- ive from i'n- Slate the same clieoiii-ngeHieiu and assistance a-, are

extended to ether primary industries. !' gives employment to a large number of bands the whole year nurd and contributes largely to ilm Dominion's sum ol annual export;.. In good seasons and under favourable circumstances il giicxa- goed ••cturiis as do otbei' bixiimlm ol farming and with the increase of population and llm growth of industrial activity it must becn'iie the has s of impart an! lea mi fa -luring cut erprism-. With tin's grcai outlook before llaxh;imlllle.' ii i- rxlraordiiiarv that it ■ lioiild have lie 'll select.'ll lor wdial ‘.-'.oic aliiiosi penal taxation and the 10l I. jU'ei's of ilm industry tin i! I r:i il v ip-e imlignaiii.