TAXING THE FARMERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1918, Page 7

TAXING THE FARMERS.

REMARKS AT CO-OPERATIVE MEETING. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Timaru, Sept. 28. At the annual meeting of the Farmers' Co-operative Association, the chairman stated that the turnover for the year was £1,579,000 —a record —but, partly due to the high prices of everything, the gross profit on merchandise was £2OOO, the stock and merchandise being valued at £'250,000. Seventy-six employees had gone to the war, and eleven had lost their lives, while twenty had returned, of whom thirteen had been re-employed. The association pays part of the salary of the absent employees, so £6OOO had been paid, and £2OOO was required this year.

The chairman, Mr. John Talbot, in his address, condemned as unfair and oppressive on mortgagor fanners the abolition of the tax on mortgages, as it was letting the real owner of the land off free, who is often a person of good income and following no productive occupation. They paid last year over £IO,OOO for land and income tax, and subscribed £IO,OOO to war loans under [the compulsory provisions, and more must be paid under the latter head. The only means of payment is by increasing the charges to customers, consequently the tax in the long run is all paid by the farmers. The multiplication of taxes on the producing industry must increase the cost of production and the price of the product.

Mr. Talbot, in his remarks on what had been said as to the Government's ireatment of last year's crop being satisfactory, said the position regarding the next crop was quite otherwise. The Government had guaranteed a minimum price of Gs 4d f.0.b., with a free market, but menaced the chances of the growers getting the benefit of a free market by importing Australian wheat, and the price at which this is to bo sold is unknown to the farmers, who are most willing to keep the industry going, but are discouraged by the unnecessary and irritating restrictions in respect to selling being added to the risks and difficulties of production. Equalising the tariff on wheat from Australia and New Zealand was an urgent demand.

A resolution was carried to increase the capital by £50,000.