FARMERS CONFER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 16, 29 October 1938, Page 10

FARMERS CONFER

MID-CANTERBURY EXECUTIVE. LAND TAX HARDSHIP CASES. The meeting of the Mid-Canterbury Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union was continued after the “Guardian” went to press yesterday, the president (Mr C. C. Winn) presiding. The Dominion Executive wrote that the Hardship Committee’s work, it hud been ascertained, did not refer to this year’s land tax but only to the tax of other years. It was an injustice that so. long as. a farmer had. a balance in his bank tlien'e was no limit to the manner in which lie could be squeezed dry. The president said the standing committee recommended that everything possible that could be said, on the subject had been said, and no good could be served by going further into it. Mr F. G. Evans : They think we should take it lying down? The president: AA 7 e have made protest after protest. Air Oakley: AYe can protest and that is all we can do about it. It was pointed out that even if a mau was suffering a loss over a period of years, he was not able to gain any relief if he had any la(rge equity in his property. It was agreed to ask that there should be farmer representation on the Land Tax Hardship Committee.

The Dominion Executive wrote urging the Executive to press for the abolition of the hospital levy, which was becoming an increasingly heavy burden.

The president said that as it was not know’ll what the future relations between the Government and the hospitals would be, the Standing Committee recommended that no action could be taken. It was the belief that the levy in Ashburton would mean an increase after the Social Security Act came into force on April 1. It was agreed that representations should be made to the Government to the effect that there should be a considerable reduction, in local taxation for hospital maintenance owing to the danger of a number of taxpayers having to pay a double tax, through the Social Security Act and the Hospital Boards. <■ .

The Methven branch forwarded the following remits for consideration : “That it be a recommendation to the Dominion Executive that in future the agenda for the Dominion conference and the minutes of that conference be published in ‘Point Blank’; “That all farm seeds of commercial standard offiered for sale by grain merchants carry a certificate of percentage of germination”; “That the responsibility of collecting tax on wages under tlie Social Security‘ Act in future lie as between the Department and the taxpayer, rather than as at present with the employer.” The first two remits wer# carried ana in regard to the third Mr L. O. Oakley said that at.preseit a test could be demanded before delivery was taken of whleat and oats, and if the test was compulsory there would be a great deal.of unnecessary expense, _as wheat which was stored for milling did not require examination for germination. Mr S. Orosson supported Mr Oakley, saying that an <ultiiiiate x incnease iii price of as much as Is 6d a bushel would be made to cover the cost of the test.

The motion was lost by 13 votes to nine on a show of hands.