Farmers still unhappy with former Minister

Press, 20 November 1987, Page 15

Farmers still unhappy with former Minister

North Canterbury Federated Farmers are still upset by what they see as an about face on tariffs by the former Minister of Customs, Mrs Shields. The matter surfaced again at a recent meeting of the agriculture section at which a letter from Mrs Shields apologising for any misunderstanding was read to members.

Just before the General Election, Mrs Shields had told a meeting of farmers at Leeston that tariffs on imported airseed drills would be removed. Soon afterwards members heard that tariffs on airseed drills made in the United States and Great Britain would be 25 per cent and for those made in Taiwan 15 per cent. There would be no tariff on drills made in Australia.

The federation has since received a letter from the new Minister of

Customs, Mr de Cleene, saying that after considering the capability of the locally manufactured gravity seed drills he has approved a duty concession for pneumatic seed drills.

Mr George Hutton, of Darfield, said he regarded Mrs Shields’ lack of integrity on the matter as very serious. He said he could produce witnesses who could repeat the promises made by Mrs Shields at the Leeston meeting. After seeking legal advice the agriculture section found there was little they could do without written minutes or a recording of the Leeston meeting. Mr Garry Bourke, the assistant secretary, said they planned to write to Mrs Shields again expressing their concern and would continue to press for tariff concessions on all products used by the agricultural industry.