Help for the Farmer.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10727, 26 October 1928, Page 2

Help for the Farmer.

WHAT COATES GOVERNMENT HAS DONE. (Special To The Times). DARGAVILLE, Oct. 24. “It has been said of,us that,we do not blow our won trumpet enough, but I will blow, it a little now,” said Mr. Coates, preparatory to enumerating the legislative activities of the government in the interests of the farmers during the past three years at his Dargaville meeting. Mr. Coates said that £8,000,000 had been advanced to the farmers and there was the long term credits and the intermediate rural credits. These schemes, which were" now functioning, liaci not only been /direct bait: an indirect benefit for he knew that they had stimulated the How of private capital .to farming investments. . Then,, there had been the herd testing subsidy of £BOOO last year, and of £9OOO this year; and the guaranteed price for export apples and eggs and the bounty on the export of pork to the United Kingdom.- The railway freight charges on fertilisers had been reduced by forty per cent, a reduction which was estimated to cost £90,000 this year. The farmer had also been protested against the use of impure seeds, fertilisers and grub destroyers by legislation which had been passed, requiring the testing of imported seeds and the production of an analysis with fertilisers and fungicides and insecticides. . The Scientific and Industrial Department was doing wonderful work, not only for the farmers, but also that it would help wortli-wliile industries and it had given a lead in encouraging greater efficiency in industry. Mr. Coates also traversed the government’s proposals for providing land and! finance for part-time farmers irten who worked in towns, but . who wished to supplement' thenincome by raising poultry and other small holding products on about five acre sections. There was also the scheme for helping the farm worker in the country to obtain fifty acre farmlets. it was considered that the scheme would not only meet the needs of men who were already working in the country, but that it would be the means of attracting men into the country, and keeping them there. Moreover, there was the group purchase scheme, authorised by Parliament this year. “I think that is not a had record for three years, although it is only p'art of the good work we have done’ the Prime Minister added. (Applause).