NZ. FARMERS’ UNION

Opunake Times, 28 February 1933, Page 1

NZ. FARMERS’ UNION

NEWS AND NOTES. An examination <ji the .■Union's records shows that the following resolution was carried at the hist Dominion Conference in July 1902, on the motion of the late John McQueen of Invercargill; “That taxation through the Customs should he for the purpose of raising revenue and not for protective purposes.”

From that day to this, the above has formed one of the main planks of the Union’s policy, and the general objective for which tire organisation is heading. It is also worth recording that at the same Conference the idea of “Free Trade within the Umpire" was introduced and discussed.

About 20 years ago, the Colonial Ammunition Coy, Auckland, presented a valuable Challenge Shield foi v an annual shooting match among branches of the Union. For a time these were successful, but some years after the war the matches were discontinued owing to the appthy of bra nches. An attempt is being made to resuscitate the match this - year, in the form of Provincial teams competing instead of Branch teams. As each Province contains several farmers who have competed at Trentham, the match should “spark up" again. To suit the majority of provinces, the match will be fired early in April.

The farming interests of the country have no objection to secondary industries; in fact they welcome them because they desire a well-balanced economic life. They do feel, however, that it is bad policy to establish in the Dominion industries that have no chance of standing up to fair competition, with the protection of distance and a moderate staff. Farmer's look askance at all forms of industrial protection and stand for a revenue rather than a protective tariff, but they recognise that existing protection cannot be easily or suddenly withdrawn. They feel too that in the past, protection has been granted in a haphazard manner, without a proper survey of the position, and that some industries have been brought into a precarious existence at considerable expense to the consumer. Tha t our high cost of living is in great measure attributable to tariff protection is a fact beyond dispute.

Last year 201,000 tons of foreign butter were imported into Britain; a 0 per cent, reduction would mean about 12,000 tons. The reduction in foreign imports will not be so heavy as that for Empire countries owing to the increases in the butter exports of the latter. It has been calculated that there will be a reduction of about 31,500 tons of Empire butter compared with a reduction of 12,000 tons of foreign. Such a result is diametrically opposed to the reasoning and figuring at Ottawa.

At the last Dominion Conference, the following resolution was carried: “That there should be an automatic reduction on all tariffs on British goods proportionate to the exchange rate ruling for the time being.” Owing to the British manufacturer, who is the best consumer hard hit over the . increase in exchange, the above will form an important item in the Union’s evidence before the Commission.

By making relief labour available to farmers, and in the case of unoccupied Crown lands, to State Departments, the Unemployment Board has assisted materially ,iu the destrucion of noxious weeds. In particular in recent months the Board has endeavoured to induce fanners to undertake an extensive campaign in the eradication of ragwort. Belief labour for the destruction of noxious weeds may be obtained by farmers under either schemes 4A or 4B or scheme 5 for work on private properties. The Union has asked the Grovernment to approach the Imperial Government over the proposed restrictions on New Zealand butter, pointing out that the Ottawa agreement is being departed from iu the proposal. If a commensurate scaling-down of duties on British goods had been proposed by the N.Z. Government simultaneously with the increase in exchange rates, it is probable that the restriction proposals would never have been made.