COUNTRY AND TOWN

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 74, 29 March 1932, Page 6

COUNTRY AND TOWN

. (To the Editor.) ! . Sir,—l marvel at the.apathy, of townspeople m New Zealand considering the trend pi recent political events. Of what value is the education they received? The Coalition Party is acting as if the townspeople are ignoramuses. • The Reform Party's Electoral Act,:of: 1927. (No. -44) paved the way for farmer representation dominating the New Zealand Parliament. (See -clause 7, section 2.) There are approximately 400,000 male adult workers in the Dominion, and. of that total there are (say) 80,000 farmers. At ' all' times, the country M.P.'s say that the farmers' plight is desperate, butthe farmer has not that on his own. One would think that there was no feed or water on any farm, no stock or vegetables, poultry, etCi, What of the unemployed in the towns? ' The fundamental cause of the average (50 per cent,) farmer's financial plight is that he paid too much for his land. I'have no hesitation in stating that 50 per cent, of the farmers are in a good financial position. Borne np by interested people Parliament has set its back against the revaluation of farming land. Why? Because the present value based on world parity export values is considerably less than the value of the farm mortgages. The urban population is being taxed per medium of • the unemployment tax to provide.money and labour for the farmers, of trhom .SO per cent, are well able to pay award wages. Scheme 4A (Unemployment) is a wonderful scheme. Any man can obtain seven days' work from a farmer all for the sum of 18s per week of seven days. Further —and this is past j comprehension—the Unemployment Board pays the farmer 7s 6d a week for .'the man's keep. Further still, when a farmer has no accommodation for a man, and cannot provide it, .arrangements will be made to provide a hut or materials to erect one. All the farmers pay an. unemployment, tax of £1 per year against the urbanites £1 per year plus 3d (now proposed to be raised to Is) in the £ wages tax. Both sections pay a-tax on •unearned income, but having made up many farmers' income tax returns, I am of the opinion that in the case of the farmer the amount of unearned income will be small indeed. On that basis, 80,000 farmers would pay unemployment tax totalling £80,000 or thereabouts. Contrast that amount with the £350,000 conceded to the farmer from the Unemployment Fund (vide the Economic Committee's report, page 52). Table 18 of that report shows concessions (for 1331-32) made to primary producers (farmers) by the general taxpayer total the magnificent sum of £1,710,225. If the farmer obtained £350,000 in 1932 out of a total unemployment taxation of £2,500,000, how much is going to be given him out of £0,000-,000 proposed taxation? The railways show a loss of dyer £1,500,000 per year, and, in the main, the loss is attributable to unpayable branch lines run primarily for the benefit of the 'farmer. . Apparently the town representatives cannot do anything, to preserve urban interests. They are in the minority.- The Economic Committee and the -National Expenditure Commission have so far steered clear of dealing with'farm: values (and mortgages thereon), and Civil service superannuation funds. Why? The country simply cannot afford to pay £400,000 each year to the superannuation funds. It is proposed to scrap the Arbitration Court, thus setting the clock back 40 years. There is also a rumour that the motorist's annual tax is to be increased by £2. Last year Parliament took £250,000 from the motorists' road funds, and paid it to the farming community as a 12% per cent, rebate on their rates. (See page 52, Economic Committee's Report, table 18, section 13). . • .'■-.■ It is time that all-urban inhabitants formed a league for self-protection, excluding therefrom economists, politicians, political organisers, and all employed in educational matters. Civil servants, and superannuated- Civil servants drawing over £300 per annum, solicitors' and barristers, doctors, ministers of religion, and the executive of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, civic leagues, and other public bodies.—l am, etc., NEW ZEALANDEIO