FARMERS CONFER

Southland Times, Issue 20495, 25 May 1928, Page 7

FARMERS CONFER

HAMILTON MEETING. OPPOSITION TO DAYLIGHT-SAVING EXPRESSED. PROTEST AGAINST RAILWAY CHARGES. (Per United Press Association.) Hamilton, May 24. “The railways are being used surreptitiously for protective purposes without the authority of Parliament,” said Captain! Rushworth (Kaitaia), protesting at the Provincial Farmers’ Conference against differential railway charges on domestic an<t imported fodders, timber and cement. The conference passed a remit protesting against differential chargee. Captain Rushworth quoted linseed meal, which, besides paying duty of 30 per cent, (or 20 per cent, preferential) paid 57/9 a ton foi 1 100 miles rail freight against 13/6 on Dominion meal. Foreign limber paid a duty of 5/- to 7/6 per 100 ft, also 50 per cent, added railway freight. The conference further passed remits pro testing against the high hospital levy, asking the Government to provide larger subsidies or meet needs out of the national funds; and urging lower rural telephone chargee. Other motions carried were: This conference is opposed to duties and embargoes on foodstuffs and considers any encouragement to grow cereals should be in the form of subsidies. This conference supports the principle of income taxation as an entirely sound and just means of raising revenue when applied to the individual. The conference calls upon the Government to remove duties on butter, meal, cheese and similar agricultural produce, such duties being unnecessary and liable to create wrong impressions. The conference urges that the principle of taxing the divisible surplus of companies be abolished. This conference strongly protests against reducing income taxation while Customs duties remain high. A remit that the conference opposes day-light-saving was carried. [The message, as sent out originally, stated that the last remit was lost, but a correction sent out later made it read as above.]