MEETING OF FARMERS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 6 September 1929, Page 6

MEETING OF FARMERS.

I ll Iff TAX AT I (L\ CON FE I {J.uN OH

TARANAKI DELEGATES' REPORT

A short report- was- given by .Messrs Betts, and Cocker to the If miners’ Union meeting yesterday on hue proceedings ot the conference held ia,st month m Wellington to- consider the question of the proposed increases in taxation. Air Betts said it was easily the most representative meeting lie had ever attended. There was a long iliac ussi-on and many remits were passed. Mr Poison had been taken to task,, but declared lie had boon mi.sieporteu m tiis statements oil the subject oj the Clover i unen t’ s prop os ala. Mr Poison had stated that the conference was not a Farmers’ Union

meeting, and the subject ishould not have been broached. He siad lie did j not make the statements attributed to him, and that he would make a further ■statement. This, said Mr Betts, he had done since the meeting. Tlie resolutions carried included the J following:—(a.) Advocating a reduction 'in public expenditure rather than an 'increase in taxation; (b) continued ! exemption on registered mortgages of ’ £IO,OOO, reducible £1 for £l, so as to disappear at £20,000; (c) objection to payment of taxation on debts; (d) in assessing taxation, all family partnerships to be individualised ; (e; onjection to super-tax on land, as it- will penalise the most useful producer of stock and produce; (f) protest against super-tax and reduction on moitgage exe-mptiioo and proposal for graduated income tax; (g) reviewing of cases where- “hardship” is proved ; (h) closer land settlement, with proper classification of rural lands and a basis of valuation on productive value; (i) opposition to increase or taxation on one form of security only, namely, rural lands. Air Cocker •endorsed Air Betts' opinions as to the value of the conference. Referring to the deputation to Lhe Prime .Minister, he said that lie took strong exception fo the- part- of Sir .Joseph’s reply .referring to an "objection to organised meetings being held as if the whole of New Zealand was convulsed over his proposals. Dealing with the remit concerning, closer settlement. Air Cocker said that

a. proposal had been made to include business men on the committee to go into the question of what land was suitable for settlement. The conferencehadl, however, rightly stated that none i hut farmers knew what land should be settled. He said that lie had proposed sub-clause (bA, which stated that the basis of valuation of land should Jie adjusted on its productive- valine. Mr Cocker said that often the unimproved l value of land was not judged on its productive value, and lie quoted a case where, in three adjoining counties, twosheep country was valued -at £3, £0 and i£7 respectively. This, he affirmed, was the result of a failure to recognise tlia-t principle. This occurred in Pahiatuuand Dannevirke districts, and he said it emphasised the urgent- need lor more i care in valuations. Referring to the din-use protesting -against- super-tax on the land commencing at £12500 —unimproved value, lie said he did not see exactly how they were to make out a case for this. He added, however, that if they looked j round any district they would find that it- wa,s the big men who bred the best | stock, and it would be wrong to penal-j ise men who were doing a great work for the good of the country. They certainly had large areas of land, but j they were benefactors to thy country. I The conference, said Mr Cocker, was | certainly most representative, and in- , eluded 'men from North Auckland to the Bluff. Mr Poison, he said, was asked a question on notifies'. but said he would not allow -political matters to be discussed. Members- said they would watch to see how -his vote when the Bill came down. The opinion appeared to be that there would not ho much reduction, but tlvat* for a taxpayer to pay taxation on debts was entirely wrong.