FARMERS AND POLITICS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1651, 21 October 1903, Page 61

FARMERS AND POLITICS

Thus writes Mr Edward Newman- o£ Wellington as an appeal to the farming community One of the most surprise ing features in connection with farmers? politics ah tho. present time is the apathy and indifference shown, by faj> niers in matters that directly affect their interests. I wonder if many farm el'll realise what has been dene for them during the present brief session. I would like, with your leave, to point out a few measures promoted by tho Government, prMuinably in tho farmers* interests, and* supported by such far* mens* representatives as the lion, -member for Raav/yitilceL We may take the amendment to the Counties Act to bet gin with. Under the Act, as it noiy stands, County Councils have their maximum rating power fixed at 3d in the pound, in>£W*d of lid as in the past'. The majority of the fanners that I have spoken to about this say,-* “Well, but the County Cov'/icib. will not strike a higher rate than in inquired ; the councillors hold too much laud themselves to go- in for high rates.” This is quite time qs far as it goes, but there is another side to the question. Suppose a flood comes and destroys seme of our large bridges, as happened ad * Easter, 1897,, and th 4 County Oounch» have to go to the General Government for assistance as they did on that occasion. What will the Governmer.o reply? It will be: “Have you av.V-ie.d yourselves of the full rating power provided by the Act? If not, wo can net -he, Ip you until you have dono so.” This is the ojbect of the new Act—to reli< re the General Government* and place the burden on the shoulders of the country settlers. How do the settlers like the prospect? I have been associated with tfro Rangitikei County Conn Cl io~ nearly 20 years-, and I cannot recollect that t Vd general rate has been more than gd in tli-e pound. It may have been 3- i rifle more on one or two occ.isiv'is ; if so, I have forgotten it. At all events a §ti rate about covers out uormai rpqu i rer<*ents, and at this rate I in.v.i been accustomed to paying about £.:O ?. yen ; i\n ■ v the Act, as amended, i h vi pny. rhf v the full tax-is collect* evi, about £:32D **. y<‘T r. I am only us-

iti£ my own case as an example. I am not Gloating over the prospect. I am to show what the increase means all. To take it another way. County rates are always P^ a *> le lessees. When a man rents land at 12s ?"mty° rails * s« ssrs t jsMeT ~ ' f :4- u ted the councils throughout doubtless continue to keep the- rates down as far as lies in their power. But it is now proposed to alter this. Notice has been given of a Bill to bring in the system of ‘one man one vote” into County Counci}. elections.. and possibly, before many days pass it will he approved by the blouse an.d become law. How will this affect the personnel of the local bodies. it will mean that the men who now sit m the Councils, and who, in many cases, are comparatively large ratepayers, will be driven out and their seats.taken bv the representatives of holders ct small sections of land to whom the difference between a id and a 3d lato will mean but little. When a man pays Is at present, it would not rum him if h® is made to pay 4s per annum; but vlien the difference is as between pm annum and £BO it is a different stoiy. And this is what is going to nappen, and soon, too, if the Bill that ls now before the Bouse is made law. Ihe raimers Union should protest before it is to late against the proposed alteration m the constitution -of the County Councils. The present system, whereby the man paying a largo amount of rates lias an advantage to a, limited extent at County elections has worked well. taking them all over, the County Councils have done their utmost to facilitate settlement and road the county, and at a minimum cost to the ratepayers', the present Government proposals are carried another step “forward” will, ere long, lie made, and the members of the local bodies will bo elected on the Parliamentary franchise. When that ideal stage is reached wof armors will not have long to wait until pay thc 3d rate. It will hot console us to know that those who strike the rate may be practically exempt themselves. Many supporters of the Government have already expressed themselves in favour of this alteration m the mode of ejectin'" members of County Councils, so that it is quite within the region of practical politics. It is one of the fundamental planks m the pl.ab.onn of the Farmers’ Union that no change, such as is here referred to, should be made and my object in writing now S to urge upon the Unions throughout the colony to protest against the present attempt to alter the constitution of the County Councils. Such a change is certainly not m the mteres-s of average farmer. I trust the Ifanners Unions and County Councils will betel themselves before it ns too late. When the Counties Act was amended tins ses- . sion the Premier stated, as an argument in support of his Bill, that not.a single protest from a County Council had been received. Still, with very few exceptions, the Councils were against the Bill, but they said nothing, and the House took silence for assent. lne Rangitikei County Council did protest, but the Bill had just about passed through all its stages by the time the resolution reached the hands of our representatives, so it was useless. 1 am confident that unless a vigorous> protest from the County Councils and banners Union through-out ihe colony is prompt ly made, we shall see “one man one vote” applied to County Council elections. The t’imo to raise that pi otest is now.”