Professional Aid For Union Farmers

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 289, 7 December 1936, Page 10

Professional Aid For Union Farmers

APPLICATIONS TO ADJUSTMENT COMMISSION. IMPORTANT STEP TAEEN IN MANAWATU. An important step was taken on Saturday by the Manawatu Provincial Executive of the Earners ’ Union, when arrangements were made to provide special legal ai." accountancy advico to members who intend applying to the Adjustment Commission under the terms of the Mortgagors and Lessees Adjustment Act, 1936. A committee of executive members will co-operate in compiling information. The executive considered that the proposal was an urgent and wholly practical one, which would give the applicant farmers professional services at minimum cost. The matter was raised by Mr. E. 0. Bond, who moved: "(1) That a fully qualified solicitor be appointed to conduct all mortgage adjustment cases of union members who wish to avail themselves of this scheme; “(2) Also that an expert farm accountant be appointed w T ho will work in conjunction with the solicitor, his work mainly being (owing to the involved nature of farms) to prepare ail necessary papers dealing with such individual cases, both these services to be covered by the fee fixed by the Adjustment Court; “ (3) That a committee of two executive members (one dairy-farmer and ouo sheep-farmer) be set up and thai each member applicant have the right to appoint one member from his branch to sit, on the committee of which the two executive members will be permanent members.” Mr. Bond declared the scheme to be one of the most practical which the branch had considered for some time. Many farmers had not kept proper books, and it would be extremely diiii cut for them to prepare a concrete casifor adjustment. The papers they had to fill in were extremely involved; they asked for similar facts in different ways, so that if a farmer prepared a good case on one paper, he was boumi to prejudice it on another. Competent assistance could however greatly assist farmers, co-operation with professional men would give the farmer maximum aid at minimum cost.

Air. Bond likened the proposal to seek

a solicitor’s services to the use by the Automobile Associations of special solicitors for members. An experienced farm accountant was also essential to any proper preparation of an application.

The secretary (Air. L. Plimmer) explained that he had gone into the matter and found that llic impression prevailed among professional men that the remuneration for handling applications wotild not be attractive. He had however made arrangements with accountants and a solicitor to handle tho work at statutory costs. One member said he had heard that morning ,of a solicitor who had been asked to handle 200 applications to the Adjustment Court. Another member said he had received an application from a solicitor asking for tho business.

Air. Gimblett agreed that the services of an accountant and solicitor were greatly to be desired, but he doubted if the committee from the union’s executive was desirable. If a committee were set up and availed of, its services should be paid for. The chairman (Air. 1 N. Campbell) doubted if the committee’s services

would be greatly availed of, owing to the general reluctance of farmers to confide their business to their fellows. Several members thought that any

committee which might be appointed from the executive must be in adequate if any great number of applications were received. The work had all to be done in less than two months, and if 50 applications were received, the committee would be swamped. Air. A. N. Morcom thought that the committee should include at least live members.

Air. Bond said the union should seize on the scheme as a first rate answer to tho many critics who accused it from tirpe to time of doing nothing practical for farmers. He knew two farmers who would join the union at once if the scheme were decided on. Air. J. Boyce thought the scheme was one of the best yet considered by the executive. Unanimous Approval. Difficulty being found in deciding on the size and nature of the eommiiMe, the meeting deferred consideration ot the point and passed unanimously the first two clauses of Air. Bond’s motion. Finally a committee consisting of Air. Campbell (ex officio), Air. Bond, and Air. L. F. Ballinger, was appointed to act where required, with power to interview solicitors and accountants and make required appointments. The applicant-farmer will have tho right to appoint a member from the local executive if he wishes.