SORRY PLIGHT

Southland Times, Issue 21835, 12 October 1932, Page 8

SORRY PLIGHT

N.Z. FARMERS CONTINUANCE OF PREFERENCES’ A DESIRABLE MOVE (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, October 11. The need for placing primary producers on a sound footing was stressed by Mr P. A. de la Perrelle during the course of the Financial debate in the House of Representatives this afternoon. He expressed appreciation of the budgetary position and said that it was pleasing to note the commendation of the Home Press on the efforts of the Government to materially reduce its deficit. As the Prime Minister had said “the economic blizzard” had continued with unabated force for the greater part of the year and in its trail had left the primary producing countries well up against it. New Zealand was essentially a primary producing country and many evidences were frequently forthcoming of the sorry plight of its farmers.

“Portion of the Budget statement dealing with the results of the Economic Conference makes encouraging reading to the producers of this country,” he said. “It goes on to say that the present preferences given to producers of New Zealand are to be continued for another five years and in many instances the existing preferences have been increased. Anything that will help to bring about stability for our primary products is certainly most desirable, but we cannot look to Great Britain alone for our markets and never before has such an important task devolved upon the Department of Industries and Commerce. Every avenue must be explored for fresh markets. Naturally we must be grateful to Britain for further preferences which are to be granted at the expense of Home consumers. In turn we certainly must give substantial preferences to British manufacturers. The Prime Minister has stated that it has been agreed that United Kingdom goods will in future be exempt from the present surtax. We have frequently heard it advocated in this House that secondary industries should be developed up to a point and that we should be a self-contained country. Now we expect Great Britain to liberally buy our primary products, even at a disadvantage to herself by placing tariff walls against foreign importations and yet demand a self-contained attitude for ourselves. It can’t be done. Industries once established should be expected to stand competition.” It was satisfactory to learn that the predicted deficit of £2,000,000 had been reduced by one-half. This was only made possible by exacting from the taxpayers heavy toll and by cuts in departmental expenditure. The taxpayer realized his responsibility and as cheerfully as possible accepted the inevitable, but it was certain the country could not stand up to any more taxation. Out of the total revenue of £22,719,733 the sum of £16,189,967 came from taxation and means other than direct taxation would have to be adopted next year for the purpose of replenishing the exchequer. There was nothing surer than that direct taxation placed a plug in the wheels of industry and hindered the avenues of employment.