LIABILITIES OF FARMERS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1930, Page 14

LIABILITIES OF FARMERS

DILEMMA OF STOREKEEPERS. POSITION IN NEW SOUTH WALES. ;; - ■ ;■/ ...■■ ■ . ■ i A deputation representing -300 large storekeepers throughout the State .of New South Wales,-owning liabilities with wheatgrowers amounting to some £6,000,000, interviewed the Minister of- Agriculture recently. The spokesman estimated the returns- from this season’s.’ harvest. at. £4,000,000 to £5,000,000. On that crop,..they declared, the Rural Industries Branch and the Rural Bank/held liens up to 80 per cent, Even if those liens be left, out of .sight, the wheat harvest returns will, be insufficient to meet farmers’ accumulated bills with the storekeepers.. , The storekeepersin turn, are being pressed by their own creditors, so that they must have some prompt settlement by th®jr own debtors.’ . yThey said bluntly if the wheatgrower .passed out they must pass out with hipi. and, if that happened the next creditor higher up will -suffer: in turn., In some districts -the plight ..of the farmer is the greater because his debts extend over a series -of seasons during which he has obtained no. marketable crop whatever. The storekeeper has carried him, with - aid of advances from the Rural Industries Branch. The deputation asked that the .Government should advance now through the Rural Industries Branch a third of the wheatfarmers’ liabilities —or some £2;000,000; also further advances, to cover requirements of necessitous farmers during the coming year; . and, where a farmer is-.obyiously. unable to meet Lis obligations at the end. of the year, that the Rural Industries .Branch .should immediately, on- receipt of his .application, extend credit to cover his requii-ements - for the necessary period. This , last, request, it seems, is-to . cover further crop failures. . The Minister acceded to the, second and third propositions, but .agreed, that ’, the only visible remedy for- the first a special loan .from ..the /public. With .or without • approval of the Loan Council, it is also apparent, -says the Sydney Morning Her- ■ aid, that sucE community help- is becoming limited,..not .because;, of lack- of sympathy, but- because • Federal and. State Governments are already draining the taxpaying and. investing public of every , penny that can be wrung from it. ...