THE PREMIER INTERVIEWED

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 56, 27 July 1914, Page 3

THE PREMIER INTERVIEWED

BY FARMERS' UNION DELEGATES. I By Telegraph.—Press Association, j ■Wellington, July 24. , * large deputation from the New ZeaI, "Vv v s' Union waited on the land Farm t; . '-to lay before him I'nme Mimster W, ■4n carried in various remits that lift" t"- i ~i confidence. Mr G. W. £ea(lk'V Re,.! 1 *» i spokesman and explained u U;lt '» respect ito hind values the feeling 0/ tlu> coun " I ferenee was that the uniiiiproV. e(l , vill | l J 1 was unfairly forced up. It was ti. ou § ut that it should tie more of a fixed qu. !ln .' tity, and that more cognisance shouK be taken of invisible improvements in the way of clearing of land ami preparing it for cultivation. As to the native lands, difficulty was often experienced in getting any rates from them, anil European holders of adjoining blocks suffered in consequence. Mr Alassey, in reply, stated that the ', native lands rating difficulty had been dealt with to a certain extent last year, and local bodies had been placed in an improved position. Where it was not possible to collect rates for two or three years, it was provided that they might become a lien on land. He agreed that the graduated tax was, on account of the increase in values, beginning to press somewhat heavily on the smaller farmers. It commenced at .CoOOO, and that meant 100 acres at £SO per acre. That price was not unknown in some, dairying districts, in fact, it was quite common in Taranaki, Otago and Auckland districts. They had to be very careful how they dealt with the graduated tax. He was glad to be able to say that the increase in graduated tax provided for tile Act of two years ago was having the effect intended by Parliament. He had a return showing there had been a tremendous increase in the sub-division of large estates. This return would be rather a surprise to Parliament. It eliowed clearly that sub-division was going on at the rate of nearly a million acres a year. He did not think there would be any amendment of the graduated tax (luring the present session, but when the matter was brought forward he would consider the case of the struggling settler. With regard to the M>:i:i Trunk railway and East Coast line in the North Island, he was unable to say exactly what it was proposed to set apart for these two lines during the present session, but they would both be provided [or. The trouble about the southern line was that it had to go through difficult eountry, and the surveyors had not yet been able to fix on the best route. There might be some delay in connection with the Main Trunk, but the Government realised the necessity of completing it so as to give access from Picton to the Bluff. He thought that when Parliament has appropriated the sums the Government was asking for in connection with education, it would be found that disabilities suffered by backblock settlers would disappear. The new manager of railways had been go- , ing into the whole subject of rating, and his report could he laid before Parliaj ment within a few weeks. He (Mr Mas- [ sey) believed it dealt with the subject of differential rating. Personally, he was in favor of the view the union had put forward. With regard to immigration, the union understood the position. The Government had been assisting two classes of people—farm laborers and domestic servants. Lately, there had been a certain amount of adverse criticism on account of there being a little hit of unemployment, but this was the slack sea- ! son. lie did not think there was much unemployment in tile country districts. They had to be careful about bringing people to the country who would themselves become unemployed or cause the unemployment of others, but they recognised that the proper policy was to .'fill up the waste places with their own people, and that was the direction in which the Government was going. They were careful in the selection of the immigrants, and in spite of all the adverse criticism indulged in during the last few months, the boys who bad been brought to Xow Zealand were getting on satisfactorily, and the experiment was likely lo turn out a complete success.

Tlu? Premier said, with reference to the subject of valuation, the session before last Hie Government asked Parliament to agree to mi ivmemlnu lit of the Valuation Act exempting improvements to a "renter extent than ever pi'cviouslv. The valuer had told him that the policy was working out very well indeed. Draining of swamps and clearing of Imsli were provided for as well as making roads and drains, even though they

might not he on the land valued. There had been complaints about excessive valuations. These tilings would happen

continuously in districts where the population was increasing, and. lie had a certain amount of sympathy with the people alTeeted. Some months ago, when complaints came about excessive valuations, he sent an official memo to tin Valuer-General, telling liim that in ih case did the Government want excossivi

valuations. They wanted to keep ratlier under the selling value than over, simply for taxation purposes, nothing -more, and the Department had been doing its best to give effect to his instructions in that respect.