XMAS BOX BUDGET

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXI, Issue 2781, 28 November 1931, Page 5

XMAS BOX BUDGET

ASSISTANCE TO FARMERS. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT MB. Dealing with what he characterise*! as the Christmas-box Budget in the course of his address at the Town Hall last night, Mr F. Lye, Coalition candidate for the Waikato seat, said the Government had set aside £250,000 for derating farm land on the basis of arebate of 124 per cent on all rates paid. It had also set aside £70,000 to enable a reduction in the price of superphosphate to be made. Mr Lye referred to the efforts he had made over a period of two months to get the reduction of 17/6 a ton on the price of superphosphate, and paid tribute to the active interest taken in this connection by Archdeacon G. Gordon Bell. The reverend gentleman lied gone down to Wellington, and had played an equal part with the speaker in obtaining the concession after he had been twice definitely turned down. (Applause), The farmers had been able to topdress in the spring and the result had been very beneficial to such a district as the Waikato.

The concession, said Mr Lye, had not teen extended to slag, because practically all the slag came from Belgium and Germany, and very little from Britain.

The Government hacl also made available £IOO,OOO which farmers could borrow through the Rural Credit Board to buy manure. Mr Wilkinson had opposed the Government on the suggested method ef reduction on superphosphate, continued the candidate, on the ground that the concession should extend to all fertilisers, and they had the Country Party representative also voting with the Labour Party against the Government. However, the measure went through and he claimed to having done a full share. The throe concessions mentioned were justification for his referring" to it as “the Christmas-box Budget." (Applause).