AID TO FARMERS

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 403, 9 April 1937, Page 4

AID TO FARMERS

MORTGAGE ADJUSTMENTS Committee Set Up to Assist Applicants. “You talk about your 'annual shoot, about your pastures, but surely you should do something to help the farmer to stay on his farm,” said Mr. B. Richmond at to-day’s meeting of the North Taranaki Executive of the Farmers’ Union. Mr. Richmond submitted a remit on behalfof the Wharehuia branch, that a committee be set up to assist farmers in connection with applications to the Mortgage Adjustment Commission. The remit was supported. Mr. Richmond said that the Farmers’ Union was constituted to assist farmers whether poor or wealthy. The mortgage legislation was so complicated that applicants required legal assistance, and he thought that the best brains of the union should be made available. It was the intention that those desiring the assistance ot the committee should pay a nominal ' fee. He knew of certain cases where farmers had gone to legal firms and I the firms had demanded their fees in advance. Personally he would not benefit in any shape or form by the setting up of a committee. Some two or three years ago, in the height of the depression, the Union set out to help farmers who were In difficulties, and he considered that the Union sho'uld again do something. Admittedly the work of the committee would be almost a full-time job, but he felt sure that if a committee had been appointed some time ago the membership of the union would have largely increased. He suggested thpt applicants pay a fee of £3/3/-. The most unfair feature of the Commission was that it was held behind closed doors, Mr Richmond continued. If the proceedings were in open Court, some of the statements made would never be uttered. Mr. H. E. Blyde (president): On either side? Mr. Richmond: Yes, on both sides. It Is astounding the stuff that is allowed to be put before that Commission. I Concluding, Mr. Richmond maintained that the Dominion Executive or j anybody else had done nothing since ' the new legislation was passed to I assist farmers. Full-time Secretary. | Mr. H. E. Blyde said that some ! three or four years ago a committee j was set up and were able to do good work, mostly in regard to soldier settlers. He considered it useless seti ting up a committee unless it would be used, and he doubted whether | members could give the time required. As regards the present legisj lation. they had been given considerable assistance in bringing before | farmers their obligations under the ; Act. | Replying to a suggestion that the work could be carried out with a fulli time secretary, Mr. Blyde said it was : just a question whether farmers were I prepared to pay. A full-time secreI :ary would be very valuable, but one could not be employed with the present subscription. The secretary, Mr. D. De C. Morgan, said that members did not realise the work involved under Mr. Richmond’s proposal. At present a great deal of his time was taken up assisting farmers with returns, and the result was that he was not even getting labourer's wages. If a committee was set I up, 90 per cent, of the work would I tall on the secretary. j “You cannot make bricks without I st-aw, and that is what the Union is trying to do to-day,” Mr. Morgan concluded. It was decided that each executive appoint a committee to act as suggested. Messrs. H. E. Blyde, L. D. I Hickford and D. De C. Morgan were appointed from the northern executive, and Messrs. T. T. Murray, H. J. Marchant and H. A. Hunt were appointed to represent the Stratford subprovincial executive.