POLITICAL JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1925, Page 1

POLITICAL JOTTINGS

GOYfiRX.MfiNT AN!) FARMKItS. “1 |o\v tides the Government ileal with the sill all larnier.' ’ nskeil Mi Smith (Taranaki). lie said that lost year the Government, took nil average ol UK oil' the tunnel’s taxation ami then taxed the farmer's motor-car to the extent of £M Us. The Prime Minister: What about the abolition of toll 'tales in laranaki.' ilr Smith: AVhat have you in its place!' The Prime .Minister: The Highways Board. . Mr Smith: Is the Prime Minister going to take credit for that ? The Prime Minister: ) es. Mr Smith: The small farmers are entitled to greater consideration. What do you liud in the Auckland district!' Mr Poland: Mud. (Laughter). Mr Smith: Yes, and progressive people having money spent on them. Highways money is being spent m Auckland while progressive people m my electorate go without. This Government's legislation had : >l"a>s mi oi)posed to the small laimci. 1 ‘| of fertilisers was allowed hy the Goernment to he in the hands ol a ring. The country spent half a million to ae.piire rights in Nauru and brought the raw material here to private eiileiprise. to eharge farmers whatever they liked for it. The fertiliser companies did not want to deal direct with tie farmer, l.ut preferred to deal through .vents .o that the agents could get a rake off. and further tax the farmer. \s to all these hoards set up hy the Government the puhlic was lmred to death with them. 'Hie Meat Loan, levied over fi-JD.ODO from the producers. These hoards, hy the way. never laded to d„ a little canvassing for the Kefomi Party when they came to Uramiki Hid the Meat Hoard ju.-tifi itself f The meat as sent to Fug. ami might make more appeal to Britishers if wrapped in British instead of Japanese trade wrappers. srTTA.pr.fi ROADS. When referring to the subject oi motor taxation Mr Hocldy (Rotorua) made a special point of falling the attention of Mr Isiit. as one keenly concerned for prohibitum, to the fact that one province in Canada nm us good road through a duty on liquor ‘ Mr fsitt subsequently scored well m his humorous retort. Me sUgg'-Stei that there could be no better purpose to apply the whisky duty than to the provision of safe, broad wel -protected roads, because he added slyly, not,out needs them more than patrons ot the liquor industry.