PARLIAMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 March 1935, Page 5

PARLIAMENT

RURAL MORTGAGORS’ BILL.

[per press association.]

WELLINGTON, March 22

In the House this afternoon the committee stage of the . Rural Mortgagors’ Bill was commenced.

Mr Savage said that if he thought the farmer would get anything out di the Bill he would vote for it, but he did not think so.

The Budgetary system, and the allowance that was to be allowed to the farmer, occupied a large part of the discussion, members of the Opposition and the Independents condemning the system, and Government members supporting it. and claiming that farmers were better off under it.

Mr Langstone claimed that the mortgagor had an equal right with the mortgagee. The mortgagor had to lose everything before the mortgagee lost anything. Mr Atmore predicted that in the coming years, prices for New Zealand products would drop as the nations adopted a policy of self-sufficiency. Mr Samuel suggested that in assessing the basic value of a returned soldier’s farm, the physical condition of the farmer should be taken into consideration. He understood that the Returned Soldiers’ Association was considering endeavouring to secure some safeguard for the soldier on the land who might be cracking up, as the result of war service. He said that if amendments were to be moved that would make the Bill suitable to farmers, the amendments would have to be greater than the remaining part of the Bill. v He wondered why the farmer members of the Government party had not spoken and if the Bill was so good why had it not been extended to the cities.

Progress was reported and the House adjourned.