Opotiki News

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 497, 3 April 1933, Page 7

Opotiki News

DERATING A DEFIN1TE PROTEST TANEATUA FARMERS DECIDE TO OPPOSE RATE PAYMENT WAIKATO SUPPORTED The public 'meeting called by the Taneatua branch of the Farmers' Union and the Taneatua Progress League, and held on Friday evening to •discuss the question of derating farm lands, was excellently attended by a very large and representative gathering. Mr. R. Ruddick, having been elected to the chair, explained that the meeting was called to discuss the attitude taken by the Waikato farmers in respect to the non-payment of rates. The Farmers' Union, he said, had always been a law-abiding body, but where any portion of the community was suffering an injustice they were prepared to press in a peaeeable way for justice. The question of derating, he contended, was a vital one nowadays in view of the increase in motor traffic. He read several newspaper cuttings quoting similar meetings throughout New Zealand, which were in favour of derating. Mr. V. Grace said one point the I chairman had missed was that there l^was (so Mr. Grace alleged) quite suf- [ ficient revenne derived from the pet- ' rol tax to-day to keep the roads going but instead of the whole amount being used for roads a great part of it j was used to assist the Consolidated , and other funds. ' In reply to a question the chair- ! man said that it was suggested that ! the by-roads as well as main roads should be kept in repair from the i petrol tax as there was hardly any horse traffic on the roads to-day. English Farmers Refuse j Mr. A. E. Robinson (Auckland), said there was an additional point in the fact that more and more unmetalled roads were being made and the people on these roads — to which praetically no improvements were being i made — were paving rates toward improving the metalled roads. Even j under derating these people would ' still have to pay more than those alongside the'good roads. j In reply to a question as to whether ' derating had been brought about in other countries he said that in EngI land it had been brought about in the , same way as it was going to be done here — because the farmers could not ! pay. , At this point the chairman said he would like to point out that this concerned the road rates only not j otlier rates. Another speaker asked if Mr. Robinson could say if there had been ; any trouble when the British farmers refused to pay their rates? i Mr. Robinson replied that it had | not been necessary to refuse. It was ! reeognised T>y the government that | they could not pay and they were i relieved. He went on to say thai j "you will get derating next year as suye as fate, because you will not be able to pay." (applause).

Must Observe Law Mr. Peebles could hardly see the force of saying they would not pay rates as the law could enforee the payments. He thought the farmers union should spend their energies on having the law altered. Personally, he was in favour of an alteration, but he would suggest that they try to get the law altered. The chairman replied that the Farmers' Union had tried for the last five years to get the law altered, but this had not been done and now there was nothing for it, but to take a firm stand and ask for common justice, because the farmer could not pay his rates and this would make the Government alter the law. Mr. A. Martin could not let Mr. Peebles' suggestion that they could not alter the law go unchallenged. He alleged that the Government had already altered the law so that rates could not be recovered from Crown lands, but it could still sell up the poor farmer. He went on to draw a harrowing picture of the hard-worked farmer watching motor car joy riders using the road at the rate of 40 or 50 miles an hour and 1 eaving the farmer to pay for the damage caused. In reply to a question Mr. Robinson said it was a fact that the present tax on benzine would be sufficient to keep the roads going if it were all used for this purpose. Mr. McCready asked if the county councils in the Auckland . province had had an opportunity of considering derating, and if all these county councils had been approaehed by the Farmers' Union on the question. ' Position of Counties Mr. W. Reid, chairman of the Whakatane County Council, said that his council was quite definitely not against derating, although it did not qnite see where otherwise the revenue was to come from. Mr. Robinson quoted cases of county councils which had passed resolutions in favour of derqting, but had yet- allowed their chairman and one of their members to vote against it. The Altemative Mr. Y. Mead asked if derating was carried had the Farmers' Union any proposal by which the Government could raise the necessary revenue to . balance their budget. The chairman called on Mr. Robinson to answer the question, and he said that if necessary they could still put a further tax on benzine. Personally he did not see why the Government should be in difficulties when New Zealand was simply bursting with plenty. Mr. Mead pointed out that he had asked if the Farmers' Union had a definite proposal by which the • Government could get out of the present situation. Mr. Robinson said there Was no difficuity in getting out if the money systeni were fitted to the goods and services which were already plentiful. In other words they considered the Douglas Credit schemp was a solution of this problem. Another speaker asked if 'the Farmers' Union was fully aware that derating could. not be brought about without eomplete monetary reform? Mr. Robinson replied by asking why it. should be imnoggiblp when the Go-

vernment had raised a huge sum for the unemployed, when it was held that such was impossible. Further, he would like the meeting to understand that so far the movement had not come before the executive of the Farmers' Union although it would do so later. Mr. Mead said he had asked his question because he considered it to be a question of protecting one's own pocket. If derating was carried it was obvious that some other form of taxation must be adopted and he wanted to know in what way it was to come. He was not satisfied with the answers given. Mr. Robinson in replying, pointed ont that as taxation on benzine had been increased so the price of benzine had been reduced by the big oil companies to enable people to purchase it and there were still sufficient profits to allow of further taxation. Resolution Carried Mr. McCready then proposed: "That this meeting support the resolution carried by the Waikato ratepayers to the effect that after the current year no rates be paid for roading purposes." This was seconded by' Mr. Grace and carried by 31 votes to two. Mr. Peebles was opposed to the resolution, although not to derating. He contended that it was illegal to say that you would not pay rates with the law as it stood. He thought that they should endeavour to get the law altered and he was surprised at the Waikato farmers refusing to pay. He suggested that the meeting should ask the local county council to make representation to the Government to alter the law. • Mr. Martin asked how Mr. Peebles would propose to colleet rates on leased Crown lands? . Mr. Peebles replied that Crown lands were not rateable and that also was a law which required altering.