FARMERS’ PLIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1933, Page 6

FARMERS’ PLIGHT

TENANTS OF THE CROWN

REPLY TO REPRESENTATIONS

RUSSELL, April 18,

In spite of tiie fact teat Crown tenants, who include a large number of returned soldiers, are receiving low prices for their produce and aie having difficulty in meeting their commitments, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Lands, is firmly of the opinion that they are in a better position than unemployed on relief work. He has said so to numerous deputations during the present northern tour. These deputations invariably asked for reductions of the amount the Lands

Department deducts from cream cheques to meet its charges. At Dargaville it was stated that it was unfair that the department should take into consideration a man’s pension which he receives for disability when determining what he should pay, but Mr Ransom said the department could not differentiate between sections of tenants. In all cases he lino suggested that the men state their cases to- the newly-established adjustment cominis don, and he has expressed the opinion that the Crown should au ! /m,jt to investigation as -other mortgagees will have to do. Each case would be treated on its merits in order, to keep men on their holdings.

QUICK ACTION NEEDED

| One speaker said that quick action : was needed in view of the disastrous effect of uncertainty on the mentality lof men who were afraid that they would be put off their holdings. Mr Ransom : I will see to it that no settler who is of the right type and 1 a trier is put off the land while I am i Minister. ! It was stated at Ohaeawai that Crown tenants were prepared to shouli der as much of the burden as they j could carry, but at present it was

; impossible to meet charges. It wa« 1 proposed as a temporary measure of , relief that the rate of interest be re-j-duced to 2?} per cent., hut Mr Ransom said that was out of the question. In support of the contention that the department was getting too much of the cheque, a member of a deputa-. tion quoted instances showing how punch men had left. . Taking- the --first. : three months of this year,-he- said, due. man had 66.n0r- cent; deducted. J The department go-t £2B 10s and .the.! settler £6 Bs. Other instances -were ;—- 50 per cent, £2O 14s and £ll ss; 50 | per cent., £l6 7s and £4 7s ; 66 2-3 j per cent., £ls 16s and 18s 9d. j It was stated that a man’s balance I was .small because of deductions -made !

by the dairy company for -share capital, manures, petrol and oil essential for the working of the farm, hut nothing-, for’"groceries, drapery, or luxuries of r.nv kind.

Mr H. M. Rushworth, M.P., said it was . inconceivable that mem should, be asked to live on less than the minimum fixed fqr ; relief workers. Men... •would lose hope if asked to go on year- after year. Strong action-'-’should’ -hK taken to put settlers on a better footing-while the. depression lasts. " v Mr Ransom : At whose- expense ? Mr' Rushworth: Well, if you ask me, at the nation’s expense. Mr Ransom: That will mean heavier taxation.

Mr Rushworth: I think it can be done another way with leas taxation,

but that i.-j another story

Mr Ransom said lie had found some eases where a man had not- enough to live on and instead of taking a percentage cf the cheque, the department

took the lot and gave the settlor a ■ living allowance. He. did not like doing that, as it robbed a man of his ; sense of independence. I It was also represented to the Minister that if these,men walked off their farms they woulcF'he entitled to relief work and they would be better working limited hours for an assured weekly wage than working 13 or 1! hours a day on the farm and working their wives and families to keep going. The Government should see that they got at least the minimum on which it said the unemployed could exist.

NEW MARKETS FOR, PRODUCE. Mr Ransom replied that they were much better off than relief workers. He bad spoken to some of the unemployed who had been put 011 small farms and knew how they felt about escaping from relief work. He wag quite sure that none of these Crown settlers would care to change places with the men on relief. At one nlac-a- the Minister was reminded that the farmers had been urged to increase production. They had done so, and it was now for the Government to see that their produce was marketed. Mr Ransom said this was a matter that was receiving very serious consideration. Ho could not sav much on the point at the moment, hut his opinion was that the Dairy Board would have- to find new markets. He had been informed that ther<?i were countries that would enter into trade agreements to take our produce.