THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1928. THE MAN ON THE LAND

Wairarapa Age, 16 August 1928, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1928. THE MAN ON THE LAND

Members of the Wairarapa Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union spent a busy and not unprofitable day yesterday, not only debating a numbe® of practical questions, but devoting an hour in the afternoon to hearing a most instructive lecture by Mr. L. J. Wild, Principal of the Feilding Agricultural High School, on fertilisers. Of the controversial questions discussed* the most important no doubt was that of political action. It was shown that at the Dominion Conference, Mr C. C. Jackson, as head of the Wairarapa delegation, gave a spirited lead against party political action, and so rendered useful service in saving the hotheads of the Union from the consequences of their own folly. The demand for political action by a section of the members of the Farmers’ Union appears to bo akin to that of the child who cries for the moon, and it is urged by its principal supporters with a passion and extravagance altogether childish. The practical question raised is whether this hysteria can be abated otherwise, or elsewhere, than in the hard school of experience. Calm reason evidently does not count with these impassioned advocates of change at any price and regardless of consequences. Some of them openly admit that political action would wreck the Farmers’ Union, but they think that a political party is better worth having. This is an error which bitter experience will expose in its true light if it is not corrected in easier fashion by a revival of common sense.

An interesting proposal, and one that certainly merits further discussion was brought forward by Mr. L. T. Daniell, This was that income from investments in rural securities should be taxed at not more than 2s 6d in the pound, as compared with the present maximum rate of 4s 6d in the pound. Mr. Daniell was able to point to the fact that the chairman of the Bank of New Zealand recently advocated the complete exemption from taxation of income from rural securities, but we are not sure that his proposal is practicable. If, however, he does not exaggerate the extent to which, cumulative taxation increases the price the man on tho land must pay in the open market for financial accommodation, new importance would appear to be given to tho Rural Credits scheme lately launched in the Dominion.

The Wairarapa executive, in our opinion, arrived at a sound decudon in refusing to support a Wanganui protest against the present State system of land valuation. So far as taxation and rating are concerned, all that can be asked of a system of State valuation is that it should be relatively fair to all. Within these limits, at least It would appear that no one can be overvalued if all are valued alike. It is very much a farmer’s own busiuess to see to it that he does not pay ho much for l and ag to be o obtain profitable returns. The State valuation, however, is chiefly f or purposes of taxation and rating, and tho e« e “tial demand hero is that there should be a uniform standard.