Investment Allowance For Chathams Urged

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30737, 29 April 1965, Page 26

Investment Allowance For Chathams Urged

The executive of North Canterbury -Federated Farmers yesterday supported a remit asking the Government to grant a special investment allowance of 20 per cent for the Chatham Islands, similar to that for the West Coast. Mr S. Barker said the aim of the remit was “to put a bit of life” into the economy of the Chatham Islands. He felt that the Chathams had as good a case as the West Coast, if not a better. The allowance had done a significant amount of good for the West Coast by assisting the introduction of new industries. The same allowance for the Chatham Islands, he felt sure, would have a similar effect. Mr H. Hollis (HawardenWaikari) said the Chatham Islanders should be given every assistance. Mr S. A. Wren (Omihi) said the Chatham Islanders seemed to have been fighting a lone battle. The granting of such an allowance would do them a great deal of good. After Mr P. McGloin (Cust) said said that the allowance was inadequate, Mr Barker said that the Chatham Islands would be very glad to have a 50 per cent investment allowance, but one had to be realistic. He urged that action be taken without too much delay. If the remit was forwarded to the Dominion confer-' ence of Federated Farmers it would not be dealt with until September. The executive decided to send it to the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Seath) for his information. Earlier Mr Barker had outlined problems of the islanders. He said that delivery to the islands of a consignment of timber worth £332 had cost £l3l, ;.nd the freight charges on 206 bales of wool worth £2730 had been about £lOOO. Mr A. F. Wright (Sheffield) said that Federated Fanners was already taking steps to assist farmers on the islands. Because of the difficulty of stationing a veterinarian there the meat and wool executive

of the organisation had asked the Meat Board to investigate the possibility of the Chatham Islands exporting meat outside New Zealand regulations to countries willing to accept it, provided the meat was labelled “Produce of Chatham Islands.” NOXIOUS ANIMALS The executive also supported a remit dealing with the establishment of an Agricultural Animal Pests Destruction Council which is to advise, co-ordinate, and direct local destruction authorities in dealing with animal pests. In the remit the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Taiboys) was asked to adhere to the unanimous recommendation of the working party into noxious weeds, noxious animals, and farm pests, set up after the Agricultural Development Conference, that the destruction council consist of six representatives of rabbit boards, two from the Department of Agriculture and one each from Federated Farmers, the Counties’ Association, the New Zealand Forest Service, and the Lands and Survey Department. Mr R. A. Chaffey (Amuri), who urged support for the remit, said that initially rabbits were the big problem. Now pigs were under consideration, and later the council’s activities would include all noxious animals. Asked whether it would be safe to assume that the council would not take over noxious weeds as well as animals, once it came into being, Mr Chaffey replied that this was correct. Superphosphate Discussing superphosphate supplies and delivery, Mr J. F. N. Twose . (HawardenWaikari) said the suppliers at Hornby were doing a sincere job in trying to help the farmers of Canterbury. They were prepared to spend £lm over a 10-year period in improving their plant facilities. “This in itself is an indication of the attempt to give us service,” he said. He added that about half the sum mentioned had already been spent by the firm in improving the dispatch of goods.