FINANCES OF FARMERS

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1935, Page 7

FINANCES OF FARMERS

CRITICISM OF THE UNION

FEARS OF DAMAGE TO INDUSTRY.

YOUTH DETERRED FROM STARTING,

AMOUNT OF RATE COLLECTIONS.

The bulk of the farmers of Taranaki were not in the condition of practical bankruptcy alleged by members of the Farmers’ Union, whose policy of “crying wolf” was not in the interests' of the farming industry, was the text of a statement made at Saturday’s meeting of the Stratford County Council by Cr. S. Pitt. He connected his remarks with the fact that the council had collected just on 90 f>er cent, of its rates and used the point as an indication that farmers were not in the unsound position which the public was led’ to understand. “The statement is often made in certain quarters that the farmers are bankrupt, and it is one with which I do not altogether agree,” Cr. Pitt said. “The Farmers’ Union,” he said, “has taken the point up, and it is said that under the new mortgagors’ legislation the farmers will be nothing more than serfs.” The way rates were being paid—the council had collected 90 per cent, of the amount—showed that the farmers were not bankrupt, and he thought he could safely say that the majority of county councils in Taranaki. were collecting much the same percentage. In view of that there was no advantage to the industry in “crying wolf.” People who were seeking vocations for their sons, seeing the way the industry was condemned as not a paying proposition, were not likely to put their sons on the land. The Farmers’ Union and others did not realise the harm they did by stating that farmers were bankrupt.

“But the rates have been lower for the past few years,” continued Cr .E. W. Hancock. “Had the rates been up we would not have collected 90 per cent, of the total; moreover, the clerk has been hammering to get the rates in.” “The opinion of the Farmers’ Union is the opinion of the Dairy Commission,” said Cr. T. T. Murray. “I realise that to decry over our own industry is not desirable, but we do want to reduce our internal costs, as we have no control over external markets. I wish the British farmers would try to reduce their costs, too, instead of sitting back and putting Id a pound on our produce.”