FARMING NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1933, Page 8

FARMING NEWS

RURAL MAIL FEES A short time ago the N.Z. Fanners Union asked for a reduction of 20 per cent on rural mail delivery fees. The Departmental re-ply was to the effect that tlris could not be done, as there was a loss on the working of rural deliveries as a whole, and the continuance of most of them were dependent upon the receipt of the fees now charged. It was considered that having regard to the benefits afforded by the rural service, the cost to the individual boxbo'lder was very small.

At last Dominion Farmers Conference is was agreed to recommend to tire Government that land 'infested with noxious weeds should be given rent free for a term of years to anyone willing to undertake to keep the land five from such weeds. In reply the Minister of Lands stated that so far as Crown lands were concerned, the position might be met by the -granting of temporary grassing rights, provided that the licensee would keep down the noxious weeds. The various Land Hoards had power to grant temporary grazing rights over unoccupied Crown lands, and applications, for such rights over any particular area should lie made to the Land Foard concerned.

RATING RURAL LAND

In reply to a resolution askng for a more equitable method of rating rural land for Hospital purposes, and suggesting that such a method could be based both on capital value aud on population, the Minister or Internal •Affairs stated“ln reply it was. desired to state that this - proposal had been placed before the Government on a number of occasions in past years ‘.and bad been carefully examined, but had rot been met with approval. The amount levied on the contributory local authorities by the Hospital Board represented the estimated doficinto after aft-cr taking iirlp account- all anticipated payments by parties responsible in respect of treatment and relief afforded, aud also afer taking .into account the amount contributed by way of subsidy cut cf general taxat 1 on per medium cf the Consolidated bund. It was considered that population was not an equitable basis upon which to- levy contributions within- each hospital district. The local taxation required was therefore, upon weal A), and the use of capital valuations of rateable property is in recognition of this principle. If the rural local authorities, in association wi b the urban local author Pies, could mutually agree upon a basis of assessment' for Hospital levies, he would he prepared to cons der any recommendation made, with a view to advising the Government to consider legislation along the lines suggested.” At the Counties’ Conference at the end of July a similar request to the Government was put forward, so- that it is evident that an amendment to the present method of assessing the Hospital rates on capital value is necessary and urgent.

* * -Sr * BANK CHARGES At last Conference ft was decided to ask the Banks to reduce their bookkeeping fee from £1 to 10s. The Chairman of the Associated Banks replied in the following terms: —“I regret to advise that at the present time and in the existing circumstances, it is not possible for the Banks to reduce the charge of £1 per annum .for keeping customers’ accounts. For your information, the Banks provide their, many services to the commun ty for a return (by way of interest and other charges) which provides them with a very narrow margin over working expenses. On the othei hand the Banks arc required “to pay income tax, not actual income tax earned as other companies do, but on an assumed income assessed o-n an arb tary basis which- bears no relation to the actual income earned. This method of assessment is particularly burdensome in time of depression since it takes no account of reduced incomes earned. Nevertheless, it may be pointed cut that the Bank charge of £1 per annum Is lower than similar charges in some other countries; for example, in Canada, where Bank charges (and interest rates on farmers’ advances also) arc considerably higher than is the case in New Zealand, a customer who draws say four cheques weekly might- pay up to £3 15s per annum by wav of Bank charge. The £1 charge at present made by Banks o f this country covers cost of clerical work and stationery (including cheque books, bank statement forms and ledger space), and the charge is moderate for the services rendered. When the Governmen-i increased the note tax from 3 per cent, to 4A per cent, the Banks, to cover this increased expenditure, raised the charge for keeping current accoun t from 10s to the present rate of £1 per annum and they are prepared to revert to the former charge when the Government reduce the note tax to the old rate of 3 per cent, and the Government has been so advised.’

** * * IMPORT QUOTAS) The struggle to have the principle of import quotas accepted for dairy produce limportcd in'toi Great .Britain is still being: actively carried on at Home. Tlio British Minister of Ag/eulturo, Major W. V. Elliot, recently pointed cut that the 15s. per cwb. tariff on foreign butter had had no effect in regulating exports of butter into Great Britain, oonsf quentty he was now warmly support h’g the noiif. y of imposing restrict - lons on the quantitative importations from both Empire and, foreign conn-

tries with the double-barrelled objective of raising the price of butter ana jof assisting the farming 'community in Great Britain. Early in the year, Major Elliot is reported to have announced that “the quantitative regulation of imports was not merely an expedient to meet the crisis, hut had come to stay.” In the absence, under present world ccndit ; on.s, of other accessible and “worth-having’* markets, restridtioais of our butter exports to Great Britain must be regarded with the gravest conecru, particularly as the position differs materially from that, of «>ur principal competitor, Denmark, where maximum production lias already been /reached. Australia., with her larger population, could probably absorb anv potential surplus without much difficulty.