DEPUTATION OF 150

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24624, 21 July 1945, Page 6

DEPUTATION OF 150

FARMERS’ INTERVIEW WITH MR NASH REPORTED “UNEASINESS* ABOUT FUTURE —_ • (P.A.) ; WELLINGTON, July " More than ISO members of the New; Zealand' Farmers’ Union, the Sheeps owners’ Federation, and the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union waited on the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. W. Nash) this afternoon to die. cuss the proposed acquisition of. the Bank of New Zealand, stabilisation, and other matters. Mr W. W. Mulholland (president of the Farmers’ Union) said that the deputation was concerned about the intention that the Government, through its State banking institution, should control and determine the financial Assistance each individual might have, and to what purpose he might put his personal credit. They were concerned that a group of persons not responsible to anyone should be allowed, as “citisens’ committees,” to interfere in these ; % personal matters. Mr Mulholland said that the Govern- ' ment had led the people to believe *t the l*st election that the country would not be an Issue, yet repeated ' statements by Labour members had ' caused great uneasiness. He also asked for an assurance that the Electoral Boundaries Commiartofi' would take into consideration the normal place of residence and not the ' present place of residence ofdisplaced "* persons to be indicated in the coming census. Mr Mulholland said that they eop. > ported the policy of stabilisation pro- J vided it was effective and treated ell i sections of the community alike, hut | there had been no positive statitiß | of the Government’s policy since important amendments had chnoH the whole complexion of atabtlttmK The Price Tribunal had passed mm prices the whole amount, of recently creases in wages in many cases. TSSt knew that certain groups—waterskSßl r and certain.. miners—whose inergaMK I in wages had been a large I the disequilibrium, which recant riNp I awarded by the Arbitration Court WfMg | designed to correct, bad been awardecf I a very large increase, and so dieMral | librium was again being estabUnw Iwith the inevitable result of fiirtnll f rises in’ fairness- to. other workers. .’S I A further 3Jd an hour, making I hour in all, would put primary nag | tries In a position where they coul£«| | hope to recoup anything like 7d in their | produce prices. f Mr Mulholland also mentioned fee i increase in hospital rates, which. W f said, was becoming an intolerable bur- f den. There were also difficulties in te. gard to rural housing, and the damet> mg effect of exchange and import caft. trol on the country’s economy, to Whitt ;• they wished to draw the Minister’! intention. . _ Mr H. E. Blyde, North Taranaki# B. V. Cooksley, Lower Hutt, Mrs EUlott i and Mrs Orr, president and paat-pml- : dent respectively of the Woman's Division, supported Mr Mulholland,- ■ Mr Nssh’e Reply ’ - X'-: . Mr Nash said that the farmers wfef,. . saying that the Government should altt prices going up. What the Government had decided to do was hold prices e* much as it could, but where tmmi Item ■? difficulties in that course to let fedfeljL i > UP Where the Price Tribunal was sat& j fled that costs cculd not be met prittv i increases were allowed, Mr Nash Mw,' ? In certain fields, prices would not her; i allowed to go up, and that seMMtW'j-; far as the Government could go. jmu & Government did not intend to let Pnft6L \ run away, or to let prices of easemiM. , commodities required in every hornedO.,- , up one fraction more than they cou}d far as the Bank of New Zealand was Concerned, Mr Nash said, he bad • already stated that the management - would remain the same as at present: The account of every customer would, • be secret, and there would be no altertj | k tloh whatever in the deposit SyatenU The only alteration, if Paruamaa agreed to the proposal, was that thil : 5 Government would determine, the.policy of the bank as it did wlfeJßte Reserve Bank. ~. He said that a census would and he hoped to make a staterfe®, shortly on electoral boundaries.Provision would be made on the ceranr form for the former residence of fflP : placed persons to be recorded. Mr Nash said that he agreed that hospital rating was difficult, but he didnot agree about other rates.' When land appreciated-in value through expenditure of public moneys it couH justifiably be taxed. He had discussed with the Minister of Health (feiJraß . A. H. Nordmeyer) the poesmill^Pfwvising a better method of raising nos-: pital funds, hut he thought it would M unjust to -put the whole coat .ra ps pitals on dociarisecurtty. / .1 A report on the proceedings of toe. deputation was made later to thC con* ference of the Farmers’ Union, discqK sion being in committee. The confer* ence decided to stand adjpurned HU such tilne as the Dominion president thought fit. ' ti ■