LEVY ON PRODUCE

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 123, 25 May 1920, Page 10

LEVY ON PRODUCE

TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT SHIPPING ■(From Our Special Representative.) FEILDING, This Day. A levy on produce to provide an independent shipping service was suggested by the President of the Wellington Provincial Farmers' Union (Mr. G" L. Marshall) in his opening address at the annual conference to-day. • "When the commandeer is lifted, we shall soon realise that the cost of transporting our produce to the world's market has risen about 250 per cent, in 1914, and although prices may remain at a higher level than before that time, it is questionable how much of the increased price will find its way into the producers' banking accounts," stated Mr. Mars Hall. '"Shipping and other strong combines will probably continue to absorb the bulk of it, unless we are prepared to take united action to protect mrselves from undue exploitation, ■ and this could only be done by establishing a shipping line of our own. To achieve this object, if no better way of raising the money can be found, I would be prepared to support an export levy on all produce. The Government' could collect it in the same way as a tax, and' the total amount invested in a - Bpard of Trustees who would have pow^r to invest it in buying or hiring ships,' and each person who contributed would become a debenture holder t,<> the amount of his contribution. This seems to me to be a simple way of raising the money fairly and equally from all who are directly interested in getting our produce on to the Home markets at a reasonable rate. But the matter is so urgent that I think it is the duty of the union to make a special effort to find out the wishes of farmers without further delay, ( and branches could be instructed to take a referendum on the subject in each district throughout the Dominion. Unless some definite step i 6 taken we shall disappoint many who look to us to take a lead in this matter, and who believe that something wiil have to be done, and I believe that the union would receive more general support if we took greater trouble to voice the opinions of producers more frequently and in no uncertain terms,- when important questions such as that of shipping and the control of prices of produce'have to be'settled. The advisory committee might be called together on these occasions, and. if necessary a special conference held."