Govt to listen to relief worries

Press, 1 April 1989, Page 3

Govt to listen to relief worries

By

CHRIS MAHONY

Farmers were assured by the Minister of Finance, Mr Caygili, in Timaru yesterday that the Government would listen to their concerns about its drought relief package. But Mr Caygili said after the hour-long meeting with South Canterbury Federated Farmers that this did not mean the Government would “pour in more money.” “I told them that if they believed the Government’s objectives with the package were not being met, we would be prepared to listen,” Mr Caygili said. The president of South Canterbury Federated Farmers, Mr Don McFar-

lane, said farmers were concerned that the administrators of the scheme should apply consistent criteria in a way which allowed viable farmers to survive. The farmers’ concerns about diesel tax were also greeted sympathetically by Mr Caygili who said he would eventually like to abolish the tax. He said the one-third reduction announced already would cost about $lOO million, “a significant sum of money.” He claimed to have detected a better mood in South Canterbury during his 20-hour trip which included visits to Timaru, Geraldine, Temuka and Waimate.