RESTORING EQUITIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22071, 29 March 1935, Page 13

RESTORING EQUITIES

TASK FOR GOVERNMENT CONTENTIONS BY MR. SAVAGE NEW BASIS OF ADJUSTMENT [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Thursday An alternative to the Government's plan for adjusting farm mortgage difficulties was advanced by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. M. J. Savage, in the House of Representatives to-night in his third reading speech on the Rural Mortgagors Final Adjustment Bill. Mr. Savage said the Government should set itself the task of restoring equities in land and homes by promoting legislation authorising the readjustment of mortgages and farm costs on the basis of average prices received for primary produce during the past seven or ten years. For that purpose district valuation boards and a Land Court of Appeal should be provided. If that were done, said Mr. Savage, the average farmer, with the assistance of guaranteed prices, would be able to meet his obligations up to the normal average of production and prices during that period. Anything less than that was unjust and unnecessary. When the world returned to sanity the money problem would be solved and those who survived this man-made depression would be able to pay their debts. But, in the meantime, if the Government pursued the policy outlined in the bill, thousands of New Zealand producers would be sacrificed. Mr. Savage referred briefly to amendments the Government had incorporated in the Adjustment Bill. He said that even the Crown Law Office was probably ignorant of all they entailed, but what mattered was what the Government had in mind —the machinery was of secondary importance. Mr. Savage thought there was nothing in the bill to prevent a repetition of the troubles the farmers were faced with to-day. Anything short of restoration of equities was bound to bristle with difficulties and the administration of the law would be costly. The actual problem in front of Parliament was to rehabilitate the farmer of average capacity, working _ under average conditions over a period of years, which could bo said to produce a fair average result. That was the main principle on which the Valuation Department worked at present, and it was difficult to understand why the Minister should want to depart from it, unless it was to postpone action until after the general election. What would be said of a Government valuer who, in his ordinary course of duties, had to postpone his valuation of a farm until the expiration of a period of five years, during which he insisted on supervising the methods and work of the farmer concerned? Mr. Savage continued. The whole country would laugh at the suggestion, vet that was the principle on which the "bill was based. Rehabilitation should begin at once and there was nothing to gain by postponement. BUSH FIRE RECALLED LIABILITY FOR ADVANCES SETTLERS SEEK RELEASE [BY TELKGRArn —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Thursday A request that they be released from liability for payment of advances made under the Waimarino Bush Fire Relief Fund was made by nine settlers in the Waimarino county, whose petition was reported on in the House of Representatives to-day by the Lands Committee. . . , Svmpathv with the petitioners in the difficult conditions they were called on to face and appreciation of their efforts to meet their obligations were expressed by the committee, which recommended that the petition be referred to the Government for most favourable consideration The report was tabled.

WESTERN PARK MEETING QUESTION OF POLICE ACTION [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] "WELLINGTON, Thursday A desire to know whether proceedings were being taken by the police against women and girls who addressed a meeting in Western Park, Auckland, on March 10, was expressed by Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour—Auckland Central) in an urgent question to the Minister of Justice, Hon. J. 0. Cobbc, in the House of Representatives to-dav. Mr. Parry suggested that the Minister should instruct the police not to interfere with meetings that were peacefully conducted in places such as the one' where that particular meeting was held.

"I have no information on this matter," replied Mr. Cobbe, "but I will have an inquiry made and will reply to Mr. Parry as soon as I am in a position to do so."