BURDEN ON FARMERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19508, 11 December 1926, Page 14

BURDEN ON FARMERS.

PROPOSALS FOR RELIEF, DRASTIC PUBLIC ECONOMY. THE ARBITRATION COURT. REQUEST FOR ABOLITION* [BY TEtEGRAFH.- —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] WANGANUI. Friday. Farmers from all parts gathered at Wanganui last evening to discuss, matters affecting tho' industry, and methods that should be adopted to create immediately an improvement in rural economic conditions. Mr. W. J. Poison, Dominion president ef the Farmers' Union, who presided, said 'the object of the meeting was to state the case of .the farmer to the public of New Zealand. Tho farmers wanted to swing public opinion to their support in favour of legislation to alter tho existing state of affairs to enable them to carry the present burden. The present was .not an occasion for panic. Tho price of products was not favouring the/farmers, and they wanted a fair deal from the Government, They were unable at present to maintain efficiently their farms owing to the increased cost. They had now a price little better than in 1914.

They had been compelled to pay the cost of .the world war, and increases had. been genera],, . The expenditure on railways and education and telegraphs had doubled. The same applied to salaries, and £o 011, right through the list, with the exception of defence. Force of Public Opinion Needed. In face of present prices, said Mr. Poison, farmers were right in insisting on drastic ' economy. The commission that went abroad had giveu the Government $ a lead which was financially sound, but the Government would not put this on the Statute Bookunless they put the - force of public opinion behind it. The producers had to see that the Government adopted the Roynl Commission's report. Another important plank to bo impressed on Government and public was the question of markets. The ques tion should be explored more thoroughly. A tariff commission had been set up recently, continued Mr. Poison, Ex-

■ cessi.ve tariffs meant national demoralisation. The producers who could not S pass it on had penalties enough without ; haviing this additional penalty. No , great business in tho world has been built up on tariffs. Referring to organisation, Mr. Poison

said that more was necessary. They were up against organisation in every direction. Nothing that the farmer required left" England except at a controlled price. Manufacturers got to--1 gether and primary producers must get together. . ; , Free Trade and Labour. Mr. W. B, Mathieson (Eketahuna), vice-president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, advocated freo trade and criticised the imposition of protective tariffs. Dealing with the labour question Mr. Mathieson. said the man who had got awards had a disproportionate share of the good things, in. comparison with the backblocks settler and his wife in consideration of the hours worked. Until the backblocks man and his wife had a wage award the man in the city was not privileged to have one. (Applause.) This drift of population to the town showed that town life was the more attractive, yet, every man taken from the country meant less production. They ■ had to face the facts, and the situation i that New Zealand was living beyond her ; means. (Applause.) i Mr. William Perry (Mastorton) proposed the chief motion of the evening: That this meeting demands security in regard to labour, and while freely coni ceding that the worker is entitled to tho highest reward he can obtain, declares | thai; breaches of awards are a menace, to I production and a clog upon progress, and | that it is the duty of the Government . to abolish preference where such,breaches ; occur." * '

; The motion was seconded by Mr. A. j Stuart (Marton), who said he thought the workers were entitled to be able to keep themselves and put a little away for a ''rainy day," but that could not be done at the expense, of others. Arbitration Court Criticised.

There were backbloeks settlers who did ; riot have two pennies to rub together at the end of a -year's work. He believed the Arbitration Court had outlived . its usefulness. It was reducing the bestman to the level of the worst, instead of .raising the worst maq to the level of the best. It was the fault of a lot of farmers that they were in difficulties. Too many farmers were encumbered thr>Be or four times over. Mr. Parkes moved as an amendment that the Arbitration Court be abolished. The amendment was seconded by Mr. G. Mitchell, and carried. Mr. McLeod said the three largest unions in New Zealand had gone outside the Arbitration Court altogether, j "What the farmers are asking for is a fair deal and an opportunity of mak- . ing a decent living, said Mr. John Cobbe (Feilding), speaking to a motion * calling on the Government to make i drastic reductions in public expenditure. Thei farmers had reached the limit in taxation. After • the commissioner of iaxos had done with the farmer the Arbitration Court took what was left. Seconding the motion Mr. William Morj* "Soto, suggested that a means of remitting part of the burden on country people war. to be found in relieving them ; of <iome of the burden of hospital and ' charitable aid maintenance. . Mr. Cobbe's "motion" was carried. Increased Output Urged,

; Sir Andrew, of Hastings, said whatever might bo the position on papef- ' the country was poorer than it was in 1914. Land tax and wages had doubled, while working expenses had moro than doubled. Increase of output was what they wanted to conform ■ with the increase in wages. He believed high wages Would ultimately lead to greater consumption, but they must have greater output to go with it. Mr. C. K. Wilson (Piopio) proposed a motion calling on the Government to give effect to the recommendations of the Rural Credits Royal Commission. - The motion was seconded by Mr. J. H. .Toll (Havelock North). He said he knew of cases where the taxation on farm land to-day amounted to £6O or more per acre. Taxation meant- the difference between success and failure. He recommended the Striking of preferential People on farms overburdened by' taxation could not succeed. Title, motion was carried. A motion by Mr. J. Vickers (TaraR»ki), that further markets be seeured New Zealand produce, even if tariff bargains were required to obtain them, % carried. Mr, John Morrison, who eciinded if, said Britain could not purDominion's produce, so thev e to seQ d it elsewhere. He livLn*' ■. P®°ple of New Zealand were their ineans - He did not lo ° high ' i'ut the em>:rn tOT "•