The Daily News. THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 1922. PRODUCERS’ REQUIREMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 1922. PRODUCERS’ REQUIREMENTS.

i As the outcome of the recent Con- ■ ference of the New Zealand Farm- : ers’ Union, the deputation which I waited on Mr. Massey tq bring | to his notice the more important decisions of the Conference, with the object of obtaining better conditions than at present prevail, brought forward several matters which, if rectified in the manner desired by the farmers, would certainly make their lot much happier than is possible as things are now. Always sympathetic where the producers are concerned, the Premier received the various pro posals in the right spirit. He is fully aware that the farming community has been hardy hit of late, and as the producers are the backbone of the Dominion, it was confidently expected that Mr. Massey would lend a kindly ear to what the farmers had to say as regards some of the matters wherewith they are great’.v concerned. The request that farmers should be freed from the double impost of land and income tax. drew from the Premier an avowal that he wanted to reduce these taxes as soon as it was possible to do so, and to get back to the position where the producers paid one tax only. Under the circumstances this was as much as could be expected, though it is manifest that, until the cost of administration has been greatly reduced, there can be no hope of.much relief in this direction. The situation is all the more serious by reason of the fact that practically the excessive cost of the State Departments is compelling the farmers to face a levy on their capital to meet the taxation caused by expenditure which could be largely reduced, and instead of lessening efficiency, would tend to make it higher. If, however, the Premier is unable to give relief, he was able to give advice on the subject of marketing, and though that ad. vice was not new, it was certainly true. “If,” said Mr. Massey, “we do not trade in our meats with such centres as Manchester, Hull, Bristol and Liverpool (which desire to share in the New Zealand trade), make no mistake, the American States will do it, and, once they get established in Manchester, we are going to find it difficult to shift them.” That assertion exactly expresses one phase of the marketing problem that needs serious attention, and it might be expected that the | 'Meat Board would, concern itself ■ with a matter having such an iin- ; portant bearing on the producers’ welfare. The latter are obviously indifferent as to which markets are utilised for the sale of their produce, their one object being to obtain the best prices. The shipping problem to some extent affects the question of markets because of obtaining return cargoes, but in these days of facilities of transport in Britain, and the desire for direct shipments of imports in New Zealand at the nearest ports serving large districts, the return cargo question presents no difficulty that cannot he overcome in normal times. At present ships are coming out partly, empty, which has an important bearing on the rates of return freights. Mr. Massey admits that freights are very unreasonable, but lie made it clear that any capital required for purchasing ships must be found by the producers, who will find it very difficult to do so for the next few years. On the subject of agricultural banks, Mr. Massey expressed his intention of referring the question to the Pubic. Accounts Committee. That is not what the Farmers’ Union asked for, nor is it the means best calculated to have the matter fully and impartially threshed out. The Union favored the appointment of a special committee on which the Farmers’ Union should be adequately represented, and it would thM title remmatjaaa reaaaaa*

able and politic. It should not be a question to be settled according to whether opposition thereto is strong or otherwise. The experiences of the past year or so have shown the necessity for a rural or agricultural development bank. Whether it should be financed and conducted by the State, by the farmers themselves, or by both, working in conjunction, is a matter for careful consideration. The point is that the country’s great natural resources will never be developed as they should be in the interests of the country until the man on the land, and particularly the struggling man, can obtain financial aid on terms that do not handicap him, as unfortunately is so frequently the case to-day.