FARMERS' WANTS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 145, 25 July 1914, Page 11

FARMERS' WANTS.

DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER.

A COMPREHENSIVE REPLY.

[From our own Parliamentary Beporter.] WELLINGTON, July 24. A large deputation from the New Zealand Farmers' Union waited on the Prime Minister to-day to lay before him various remits that had been carried in conference. Mr G. W. Leadley (Ashburton), president of the Union, acted as spokesman, and explained that in regard to land valuation the feeling of the conference was that the unimproved value was unfairly forced up. It was thought that it should be more of a fixed quantity, and that more cognisance should be taken of invisible improvements in the way of clearing of land and preparing it for cultivation. As to native lands, difficulty was often experienced in getting any rates from them and European holders of adjoining blocks suffered in consequence. Regarding the graduated land tax, the suggestion was made that special consideration should be shown where land was held for the benefit of children. Then it was urged that certain main trunk lines of railway should be pushed on, more particularly the Auckland East Coast and the South Island railways; that backblock settlers should receive special consideration in school matters; that differential rates should be abolished, etc. As to industrial matters, it was desired that there should be a conference in camera afterwards. MR MASBEY'fI REPLY.

Mr Massey, in reply, said that the native lands* rating difficulty had been dealt with to a certain extent last year, and the local bodies had been placed in an improved position; where it was not possible to collect rates for two or three years it was provided that they might become a lien on the land. He agreed that the graduated tax was on account of the increase in values beginning to press somewhat heavily on the smaller farmers. It commenced at £SOOO, and that meant 100 acres at £SO an, acre. That price was not unknown in some of the dairying districts; in fact, it was quite common in the Taranaki, Otago, and Auckland districts. They had to be very careful how they dealt with the graduated tax. He was glad to be able to say that the increase in the graduated tax provided for in the Act of two years ago was having the effect intended by Parliament. He had a return showing that'there had been a tremendous increase in the subdivision of the larger estates. This return would be rather a surprise to Parliament. It showed clearly that subdivision was going on at the rate of nearly a million acres a year. He did not think there would be any amendment of the graduated tax during the present session, but when the matter was brought forward he would consider the case of the struggling settler. . With regard to main trunk lines since the outlook for disposing of produce had improved so much, the Gov-

-eminent had -come to the conclusion '■that a i forward, aipvement was necessary hot I only with the building of railways, but the making of roads, and the Government was impressed with the necessity of completing the two lines advocated by the conference at the earliest possible date. These ■were the South Island main trunk line and the East Coast line in the North Island. He was not able to say exactly what it was proposed to set apart for these two lines during the present session, but they would be both provided for. The trouble about the southern liae was that it had to go through difficult country and the surveyors had not yet been able to fix on the best route. There might be some delay, in connection with the South Island main trunk, but ernment realised the necessity of completing it so as to give access from Picton to the Bluff. • .". He thought that when Parliament appropriated the sums the Govt eminent was asking for in connection with education, it would be found that disabilities suffered by backblock 'settlers would disappear. The manager of railways had been going into the whole subject of rating, and his report would be laid before Parliament within a few weeks. He (Mr Massey) believed it dealt with the subject of ' differential rating. Personally he was iu favour of the view the Union had put forward. •

IMMIGRATION". With regard to immigration' the Union understood the position. The Government had been assisting two classes of people—farm labourers and domestic servants. Lately there had been a certain amount of adverse criticism- on account of there being a little bit of unemployment, but this was the slack season, and he did not think there was much unemployment in the country districts. They had to be careful about bringing- people to the country "who would themselves become unemployed or cause the unemployment of others, but they recognised that the proper policy was to fill up the waste places with their own people, and that ■was the direction in which the Government were going. They were careful in the selection of the immigrants, and in spite of all the adverse criticism indulged in during the last few months the boys who had been brought to New Zealand were getting on satisfactorily and the experiment was likely to turn out a complete success. NAVAL TRAINING.

He did not think the naval defence business would affect the farmers in the slightest. They had been training for a long time past young fellows who desired to go in for a seafaring life. They had been getting trained en the Pioneer, but the Australian squadrons had been withdrawn and New Zealand was now without naval protection. He was glad that the people generally were beginning to understand the naval defence point of view of the Government. They had got into a serious position. He was "behind the scenes," but was not at liberty to disclose what had taken place, but he would say that the outlook regarding naval defence was better now than it was some time ago. VALUATION.

, With reference to the subject of valuation, the session before last the Government asked Parliament to agree to an amendment of the Valuation Act exempting improvements to a greater extent than ever- previously. The valuator had told him that the policy 1 was working out very well indee«.l.""The draining of swamps and the clearing of bush were provided for, as well as the making of roads and drains, even though they might not be on the land valued; also loans raised by settlers for the purpose of making roads. The

whole of a loan was not exempt, but the amount paid by way of sinking fund was. There had been complaints about excessive valuations. These things would happen continually in districts where the population was increasing, and he had a certain amount of sympathy with the people affected. Some months ago, when complaints came about excessive valuations, lie sent an official memorandum to the Valuator-General, telling him that in no case diil the Government want excessive valuations. They wanted to keep rather under the selling value than over—simply for taxation purposes, nothing more, and the Department had been doing its best to give effect to his instructions in that respect. -