Rural Bank loans

Press, 9 February 1983, Page 22

Rural Bank loans

Sir,—l wonder if J. F. Garvey (February 7) would have leapt to the defence of Rural Bank officials if Labour had been in power? His condoning of “more" for the “haves” is typical of his sense of proportion. He writes of “grubby political tactics" as if his own intentions were as pure as the driven snow. — Yours, etc., ARTHUR MAY. February 7. 1983.

Sir,—J. F. Garvey (February 7) prickles at my suggestion that the Government will lose farmers’ support over its handling of Rural Bank oans. But he misunderstands me: I do not wish to “smear” the officers of the Rural Bank with a charge of favouritism. On the contrary, I am recommending favouritism. Like the Labour M.P.s who have spoken out on the issue I want to see a deliberate decision by the Government to give preference in the granting of Rural Bank loans to the owner-worked farm or co-operatively owned and worked farm. Only a deliberately enacted social policy can prevent the present funding by the taxpayer of gross land aggregation by businessmen, the process which ruined family farming in Canada. J. F. Garvey may approve of this trend, but do the farmers? Will they continue to support a party which lacks any social policy other than the adulation of whoever can put up a dollar?—Yours, etc., ARTHUR WELLS. February 7, 1983.