A FARMER'S SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 135, 5 December 1930, Page 10

A FARMER'S SCHEME

EYE TO PRODUCTION

(By Telegraph.) (Special to- "The Evening Post.") NEW PLYMOUTH, This Day, A proposal to assist production and improve the position of the primary producers by the use of funds from the unemployment levy was discussed yesterday by the South Taranaki Farmers' Union. The principle of farmers grouping together to secure labour, from the Unemployment Board was approved, and a committee was set up to evolve a concrete system. Mr. J. S. Hickey said that the board would base its policy on applications for assistance. The farmer was the only man who could show a return for the money. His idea was that each farmer could employ a number of men in useful productive work. .He suggested that the farmers should form employment groups and apply to the board for labour. That would pay better than most of tho present and past relief works. Each half dozen groups could have an overseer, and the men could camp as they did at present. If every penny of tho £1,000,000 was spent that way production would be up 20 per cent, next year, instead oi! down as it otherwise would be. He and his neighbours had already formed a group and applied to the board. Mr. L. Hunt said that the idea was a good one. Farms were going back because the occupiers could not pay for the necessary labour. "It would be a good scheme if you could set it to work," said the president, Mr. E. J. Botts. WHO PAYS THE MONEY? Mr. 1-1. Hodge: "Would you pay them 14s a day?" Mr. Hickey: "I would not care as long as the board was paying for it." Mr. W. L. Chambers said that' the money was at present being spoilt in a wasteful manner in beautifying work, and was adding to the liability of the country. If Mr. Hickey's scheme could be -put into operation it would be of very, great benefit to the Dominion. Mr. Hickey thought that increased .production would help the farmers. "You might as. well let the men at present on relief works' sit down and pay them the money," said Mr. J. Cocker. "They cannot use unemployed to clear slips off the road. I am satisfied that, as. Mr. Chambers points out, beautifying work increases liabilities. Tho board is asking people to make work to employ these men. I feel that in the back country there is much useful land covered with gors'e and scrub. The principle of the scheme is a right one. The point is that work on farms will increase the security of the mortgagees." IMPEOVING THE LAND. "I don't care about mortgages," retorted Mr. Hickey. "It's improving the land. There is not a farm in Taranaki where labour could not be employed with great advantage." "There is a tendency for production to go back," said Mr. Carter, and Mr. Hickey's scheme would counteract it." The president said the difficulty was that if farmers were getting men on relief work their former employees would leave if they did not get relief rates of pay. Mr. Hickey: "You would have the same position if a relief works camp was outside your gate. If your men go on to relief work you might as well have them working on your place as shovelling sand." . Mr. Chambers considered that scattered applications might not carry much weight. The Farmers' Union might well take the matter up; and a committee be set up to formulate a policy.