FARMERS’ UNION

Southland Times, Issue 21420, 15 June 1931, Page 4

FARMERS’ UNION

THE GORE BRANCH. MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Gore Branch of the Farmers’ Union on Saturday was attended by Messrs F. Smith (chairman), W. G. Ladbrook, D. Dickie, A. F. Henderson, Hugh Smith and J. Cumming. Messrs J. N. Elliott and A. Kubala were elected members of the branch. A letter was received from the Otago Farmers’ Union Mutual Fire Insurance Association drawing • attention to the proposal to make a special tax of 1/6 per cent, on all insurable property in order to recoup the Government for the £1,500,000 which they find it necessary to borrow for the earthquake area. The method of collecting this tax was clearly inequitable. The proposal meant that those persons and companies who owned insurable property would pay the whole of the sum, whereas those who drew their income from noninsurable investments would escape. It was felt that if farmers’ organizations gave immediate consideration to this matter and lodged a protest through their constitutional channels and through their member for the district, the suggested method of collecting the tax would be abandoned. Mr D. Dickie said he had been informed that this was only one of several taxes which the Government would impose. The matter would come up at the next provincial meeting. A telegram had been received from the Dominion secretary asking if the branch would oppose the suggested tax and he and Mr Bowmar had immediately replied stating that the branch was opposed to the tax as suggested. The action of Messrs Dickie and Bowmar was approved and it was decided to advise the member for the district that the branch was opposed to the inequitable method in which it was proposed to collect the tax. Mr D. Dickie mentioned that at the recent provincial conference at Invercargill the Inspector of Factories was present and stressed the point that he would like farmers to as far as possible avail themselves of the unemployment subsidy by employing men upon their farms. They read now that the unemployment subsidy was practically exhausted and that unless further funds were made available the Unemployment Board would have to cease operation. It was just as well, however, to give publicity to the fact that if farmers would guarantee to feed and keep a man they could obtain the board’s subsidy of 15/- provided the men employed were willing to accept those terms. He would not say that they should, but he knew of several instances in which men were being employed under those conditions. The matter of insurance was an irirportant one and should not be overlooked. Although farmers could employ their regular men on special work without extra insurance, they were not covered in the event of men being employed to do special work.