Protest By Fire. In France

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31502, 17 October 1967, Page 17

Protest By Fire. In France

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) TARBES (Southern France), Oct. 16. Angry fanners last night blocked a road near Tarbes with a wall of blazing tyres in a demonstration that presaged another week of unrest over the Government’s farm policies.

Firemen put out the fire after an hour but traffic on the road had been brought to a complete standstill for a time.

The farmers’ action, which could be a signal for similar demonstrations in other parts of France, was after a weekend speech by the Prime Minister, Mr Georges Pompidou, announcing a series of tax and other benefits for France’s ailing agriculture industry. It was not clear whether last night’s action by the Tarbes farmers represented their answer to the Prime Minister’s proposals Mr Pompidou’s speech, on Saturday, was after a week of demonstrations and protests by farmers in different parts of France to draw attention to their complaints that they had not benefited from the general rise in living standards in France. Outlining his proposals, Mr Pompidou said farmers would

get higher tax relief and there would be bigger subsidies to farmers in underdeveloped areas if prices fell below the Government minimum.

The retiring age for farmers would be lowered in backward areas to make way for younger men, and producers forming market co-operatives would pay lower taxes, the Prime Minister said.