BURDENS ON FARMERS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 130, 14 March 1931, Page 3

BURDENS ON FARMERS

INTEREST AND TAXATION. VIEWS OF MR D. JONES. (Special to "The Guardian.") WELLINGTON, March 13. "This is not merely an emergency session to deal with a' particular class of legislation. It is the duty of Parliament to itself to the whole of the economic problems facing the Dominion irrespective of time, and I believe the House will insist upon a continuance of the session until these are satisfactorily dealt with." Mr D'. Jones (R.j Mid-Canterbury) thus declared in the House of Representatives to-day his determination to watch the interests of the primary producer during the current session and press the Government until the Avhole question of farmers' problems was faced in the light of the present depression. "There is a lot of talk about the cost of calling Parliament together," Mr Jones continued, "but the cost is not great, members' salaries going on all the year, and the majority of the staff are permanent. We are paid for this job and should do it." Tlie Government's proposals did not reach the heart of the problem which embraced the whole of the £26,000,000 shortage of income in which the farmer shared to a serious extent. Mere wage reductions would not meet, the [position. The Hon. E. A. Ransom: What about falling costs? Mr Jones: Falling costs are nothing like the taxation increases proposed by the Government. Sheep-farmers in the south cannot make a living even if you give them land for nothing. I am not prepared to support taxation increases unless the Government tackles the farmer's problem thoroughly and ghes him redress. South lslnad farmers should now budget for next season's output, but the majority of them are not m a position to do so. Mercantile firms have notified me that they cannot see. farmers through the. next producing year. I resist the thought that this is an emergency session for a few measures, and I will not agree to the House rising until we have dealt with the problem of reducing in interest charges to the farmer and easing liis burden of taxation.