PREMIER’S REBUKE TO FARMERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1921, Page 6

PREMIER’S REBUKE TO FARMERS.

MR, MASSEY’S REGRETS. The Premier somewhat apologetically made reference in the House the other night to the “dressing down” that he recently gave a deputation of farmers’ supporters. He had been chaffed about this by members of the Opposition, quite legitimately, too, but it all came about from his desire to keep up the credit of the country in the not far distant future. The Dominion had a huge sum on loan to renew. A member: Fifty millions in seven years’ time. Mr. Massey agreed that this was correct, and he went on to say that, just as he had been trying to keep up the credit of the country, so, too, had he tried to keep down the rate of interest to mortgagors, but the present rate of 6 per eent. was more than the country could afford. No country such as ours could afford to pay more than 4 or l / 2 per cent. Getting back to his subject, Mr. Massey said that the farmers came along with their tale of woe about hard times, and he resented it. He talked to them pretty straight. “I have had leters from men who were present at that deputation, men of standing, and well known throughout both Islands, who repudiate the whole thing,” he said. “The whole thing was a blunder, and I told them a few things that I ought not to have said.”