CONFERENCE OF FARMERS

Southland Times, Issue 24754, 27 May 1942, Page 6

CONFERENCE OF FARMERS

MANY SUBJECTS TO BE DISCUSSED Mr George Stevenson (Woodlands) will be declared elected president at the Southland Provincial Conference of the Farmers’ Union next week. There will be elections both of vice-presidents and executive members. The following nominations have been received :— Vice-Presidents (5 required)—John Johnston (Brydone), E. W. Stevens (Balfour), D. Brown (Drummond), John Gordon (Garston). F. Ridder (Isia Bank), C. J. Speight (Nightcaps). D. H. O’Brien (Waiau). Executive Members (13 required)—W. A. Orr (Balfour), J. A. Taylor (Browns), W. Baird (Dipton), George Meek (Fairfax), C. H Pankhurst (Gummies Bush), A. H. McLean (Kennington), A. G. Diack (Lochiel), George Hamilton (Lumsden), T. Major (Mataura), J. McLeary (Mataura Island), T. Brown (Orepuki). James A. Miller (Oreti), B. Clearwater (Oteramika-Moko-tua). J. Clement (Pukerau), J. W. Murphy (South Hillend), T. A. Buckingham (Tois Tois), C. T. Ruddenklau (Tois Tois), J. A. Young (Tuatapere), R. Sim (Waianiwa), D. W Gordon (West Plains-Otatara), T. G. Dobbie (Wyndham), A. R. Johnston (Waikaka Valley). Among the remits to be discussed are the following:— TAXATION Oteramika-Mokotua Branch—(l) That all finance for war expenditure be first by taxation; (2) by voluntary or compulsive war loans, free of interest; (3) by issue of further credit from the Reserve Bank, such credit to be Interest-free, such credit to be repaid or cancelled when the need shall be possible. South Hillend Branch— That this conference again registers its objection to the sales tax being levied on drainage tiles and pipes. Waianiwa Branch.—That all monies derived from the sale of stock disposed of owing to owner entering service in the forces, should be exempted from all income taxation. Note: The difference between standard values and sales price can be charged as income for year, thus, being liable for national and social security tax, and also income tax. Tuatapere Branch—That this conference strongly protests against the imposition of retrospective taxation, discriminating against the income earner as compared with the wage-earner. FARM LABOUR AND WAR SERVICE Lochiel Branch—This conference urges that in regard to primary producers, as far as is possible, a policy of giving a period of training in camp and then transferring to the Home Guard be applied. Oteramika-Mokotua Branch—That the War Cabinet and Minister of Defence be asked to consider the following suggestions: That in order to prevent undue dislocation to the war production effort, soldiers of one-man farms and others engaged in essential. industries be given one or two months intensive training, to be followed by more training in the Home Guard, thus enabling them to continue producing to "the fullest extent possible. Mossburn Branch— That all appeals from unmarried reservists for exemption from military service adjourned sine die be reviewed before married men are called up for training. Wyndham Branch —That this conference considers that the May school holidays should be held in June, thereby giving the parents and children a chance of getting a holiday. As it is at present, in. many cases, neither parent nor child receives a holiday. This would apply to the dairying districts of Southland only, and the conference requests that the matter be taken up with the executive and the Southland Education Board. Tuatapere Branch—That this conference strongly protests against the action of the Marketing Department in fixing potato prices, as penalizing the Southland grower particularly; also that price charged consumer is out of all proportion to price allowed growers. FARM BUTTER

Riversdale Branch—That the low price of 8d per lb for farm butter given during the maximum producing period be increased. Kennington Branch —That this conference suggests that the Government take over a farm in each province and run it under labour union conditions. The cost of running such farm be made a basis, when fixing prices for all farm produce, such as butter, cheese, meat, wool, grain, linen flax, and so on. Lumsden Branch —That the union take immediate steps to induce the Government to allow all pensioners to earn money by work, without any reference to their pensions, which belong to pensioners by right. By such an arrangement, hundreds of willing people would be available to help at farm work. Lumsden Branch —That as the farmers property is subject to war insurance at the same rate as in the towns to rebuild national losses by enemy action, the town dwellers should carry a much larger rate seeing they are subject to much greater risks, as witness the city evacuation scheme.