Farmers Want Cheap Finance

Northern Advocate, 15 July 1939, Page 9

Farmers Want Cheap Finance

[Per Press Association. Copyright] WELLINGTON, This Day.

Not sixpence could be got the State Advances Department for expenditure on farms for the building of houses on farms, said Mr A. C. C. Sexton, Auckland, at the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union.

He advanced the following Auckland and South Taranaki provincial remits: “That the union protest against the present policy of the Government, as carried out by the State Advances Corporation, diverting the whole of the funds of the corporation to the building of houses in towns and cities, to the complete neglect of the requirements of farms, and that the union press strongly for the State Advances Fund to be strictly separated, revenue from farm land mortgage money to be used on farming lands only.” The remit was carried. The following remits were also carded:

That in view of the great importance of our primary industry, we urge the Government to make available adequate cheap money for land finance,- as it is apparent that at the present time the policy of settling men on the land is inoperative on account of lack of finance.”

That in view of the consequence of exchange from gold, as demonstrated in European countries, this conference views with alarm the ultimate consequences which will be imposed on the farming community, and which will eventually react on the general public, in reducing its standard of living.”

That the wages the farming industry can pay and carry on successfully with should be the basis of assessing wages in other Industries.”

That, as a long-term policy, costs be reduced as far as possible, and based in future always on farming income.” “That the New Zealand Farmers’ Union should have an official representative at all meetings of the Conciliation Commission at which awards which affect farmers are considered.”