THE DAIRY FARMER.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 February 1922, Page 4

THE DAIRY FARMER.

SOME REQUIRE ASSISTANCE. PLEA FOR RELIEF. PREMIER PROMISES ENQUIRY. (By Ware.—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. The troubles of dairy farmers were before the House to-night. The matter was raised -by Mr. R. Masters (Stratford), who urged th£ Government to provide some relief for men who could not meet their financial obligations under present conditions. Last year dairy farmers were getting 2s fid a pound for their butter-fat; this year they were getting aai advance of 8d a pound and they might get an additional 4d, making a total payment of Is a pound. This would mean a reduction of £12,000/100 in the dairy farmers for the year. • , It was true that iriany pf the farmers had bought their land on a basis of 2s or 2s fid for butter-fat, and that thia was the foundation of the trouble, but even on lower land values the fanner was having a strenuous time. He was, sure that with a little financial assistance most of the farmers would be aide to pull through. He asked /the Government to introduce some legislation asking for an adjuster or mediator to inquire into the position and make a report with a view to determining whether something could not be done. The Government had used the credit of the State to help the meat producr, the wool producer and the wheat producer, and it ought to do something for the dairy farmer. Mr. S. G. Smith (Taranaki) supported this appeal. He ' that Parliament ought not to adjoin a until it had given the small farmers some protection from foreclosure, pending the examination of their cases. The farmers were not proposing repudiation of their debts and they were entitled to ask for assistance in adjusting their burdens. The Prime Minister said that he thought he understood the position as well as any man in the House. The difficulties in the way of rendering assistance to dairy farmers were very serious. The Government could not lend money on second, third and Courth mortgages. It could lend money only on first mortgage and then with an ample margin. He was providing for relief in the matter of gift duty in cases where mortgagees would consent to a reduction of their interests. The House must not imagine that all mortgagees were wealthy capitalists. Some of them were small men who had invested all they had in mortgages and who were suffering hardship now because they were not getting their interest. H 6 had arranged for the Valuer-General to pay another visit to the Waikato. Mr. G. R. Sykes (Masterton): The trouble is not confined to the Waikato; it is general. Mr. Massey said he thought there was not much trouble outside the Waikato and Taranaki, where land values had gone up* very high when produce prices were high. He could not think of any legislation that would be of assistance to dairy farmers under present conditions, -but he was going to get a clause drafted, for insertion probably in the Finance Bill, providing for the appointment of a commission to visit the districts and enquire concerning the conditions and advise the Government what could be done. He could not do more than that at present. Mr. Massey added that he believed the farmers would pull through unless they were too heavjly involved. There were some people who had four, five and even tsiff mortgages, and the sooner they faced, rne position the better.