Drought Relief Meeting On Rain Drenched Site

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28897, 18 May 1959, Page 15

Drought Relief Meeting On Rain Drenched Site

The Banks Peninsula Drought Relief Committee met recently at Hilltop where in the last two weeks the rainfall has amounted to 19 inches. The chairman of the committee, Mr P. R. Barrer, said that at least some areas of the Peninsula had had as much rain this month as they had had in the previous 12 months. The committee is, however, not out of a job and at its meeting it decided to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Skinner, to extend drought relief provisions for free transport on hay and for return of stock beyond June 30. Stock is still being moved from the Peninsula because of lack of feed and it is unlikely to return to the district again until July or Augtist. While stock still being moved out is mainly dairy cattle, 600 hoggets were recently shifted to Mid-Canterbury. Mr Barrer said that the committee had considered the first applications for assistance and the majority of these had been approved. Others had been held up for further information and in one instance pending clarification of the committee’s author-

ity. It was felt that on the Peninsula requirements, of grazing and hay for dairy cows would extend beyond June to near calving date, said Mr Barrer. The position was that although some stock had had to be returned to the Peninsula, ' other stock, including both dairy cattle and sheep, was still being moved away and would not return until July or August.

t It was also considered that t more hay might become avail- ) able for the difficult period on 1 the Peninsula in August when E plains farmers would be in a , position to know whether they f had any surplus hay available for i sale. 1 Extension Urged The committee was therefore [ urging the Minister of Agricul- • ture for an extension of time be- £ yond June 30 for provision of ’ free transport of hay and return “ transport of stock. ‘ A specific problem of hay be- • ing carried on a farmer’s own J vehicle had also been referred to c the Minister for consideration, he 1 said. r The committee also received in- » timation of the Government’s de- > cision to introduce legislation 1 amending the Land and Income Tax Act, 1954, to assist drought- ’ stricken farmers who had to sell t capital stock. In a letter to Mr 5 N. E. Kirk; M.P., the Minister of ■ Finance, Mr Nordmeyer, said, in 1 respect of representations made 1 through Mr Kirk by Banks Pen- ‘ insula Federated Farmers, that ■ the Cabinet had decided to authorise the introduction of leg- ‘ islation to amend section 103 A of J the Land and Income Tax Act. 1 The proposed amendment would - meet those cases where, because Jof drought conditions, forced 1 sales of livestock were made at ■ prices in excess of standard 1 values adopted for taxation and s replacement of these stock in the 1 same income year was not posr sible. , Farmer members of the com- □ mittee regarded this proposed amendment of the act as a recognition of an important principle in farming taxation law, said Mr Barrer. Certainly in extreme cases of drought both this year and in the future it would be an important addition to other forms of drought assistance previously authorised.