FARMERS SATISFIED

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 67, 16 September 1936, Page 16

FARMERS SATISFIED

BUDGETARY CONTROL

Mr. H. G. Dickie - (National, Patea) said, that a great many farmers under budgetary control found that they now knew where they were, and a number of them did not want "to come out from under" it.' Many were allowed living expenses on a liberal scale of well over £3 a week, plus meat, milk, butter, vegetables, etc. The old catch-cry that 50. per cent, of farmers were bankrupt did not apply today, and he had not heard the Minister of Finance using the term as so many on the Government side of the House had done in parody! If 63s a cwt for butter gave a bare living a farmer receiving IQOs was doing well. The Minister of Finance: Very bare at 635.

Mr. Dickie said: that butt erf at must be assessed at per acre and not per cow. He was satisfied that the Bill was greatly in favour of, stock and station agents and land and finance companies as against the mortgagee. As far as his district was concerned 85 per cent, of the farmers on budgetary control had paid their way and made a profit, this season. There was. no provision on the tribunal to be set" up under the Bill for representatives of the mortgagee. .

Mr. Dickie said there should be provision for the representation of mbneyr lending interests on the tribunal.

Referring to valuers, he said a;con-

siderable number, of them: had made an unholy mess of their own operations and mostly they had elastic-sided • boots. Two valuers were called in from outside and in the end it was a question of splitting the difference. It was better to have three valuers than to .go on evidence. submitted at an Assessment Court. ! ■•■,■'?: