HELPING THE FARMER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 111, 12 May 1936, Page 8

HELPING THE FARMER

LATE GOVERNMENT DEFENDED REPLY’ TO CRITICISMS MR. A. STUART, EX-M.P. STATES THE FACTS ! “As 1 attended the dairy farmers - ' meeting in Wanganui on Friday evening I heard remarks made outside the building and insinuations inside that the past Government had done little to help the farming community,” writes Mr. Alec Stuart, ex-M.P. for Rangitikei. “I often wonder if the farmers really realise what the past Government did to trv to help them out of their difficulties. With your permission. Air. Editor. 1 wish to remind them of some of the legislation that was passed entirely for the farmers’ benefit. “First of all. interest rales were brought down, the bank rates on overdraft being reduced from seven to four and a-half per cent. “Exchange was raised to 25 per cent, which was of undoubted benefit to the producer. “Fertilisers were subsidised by the Government. “Lime was carried free on lhe railways for 100 miles. “The farmers' road rates were sub-I sidispd to the extent of 12| per cent. “All farmers’ requirements were made exempt from sales tax. “An Adjustment Commission was! set up so that any mortgagor who was) unable to meet his financial obligations) could get protection from the commis-j sion and no mortgagee could put him off his farm. “Finally lhe Rural Mortgagors Final Adjustment Bill was passed. As it contains 78 clauses. I will not deal with it in detail. Any mortgagor who i was in financial difficulties and unable | to meet his obligations was fully pro tected under this Act and as most of i your readers know, when any farmer | sought protection under the Bill, the | first thing that was done was to see ■ that the mortgagor got a fair and rea I sonable amount from the proceeds of I the farm to keep his family and him self in a reasonable standard of living, irrespective of whether bis mortgagee was a wealthy person or an aged widow who was depending on the interest for her existence- At the end of five years the mortgage would he adjusted to the production value of the farm. 1 may .add here that I voted against the five-year period and supported an amendment moved by Air. Wilkinson, member for Egmonr, to make it three years. I am still of opinion that five years was too long a period. However, it is not my opinion that I am emphasising, Air. Editor, it is what the past Government actually did for the farming community of New Zealand. The Mortgage Corporation was set up for the purpose of trying to keep interest rates at a reasonable level and to provide finance for the farmer on a long-term mortgage. The corporation is now, and has been, lending on approved security at £4 2s 6d per cent, with sinking fund according to length of term. For a 45-year period the. total payment, including sinking fund, is only £4 18s 2d per cent. The principle can be paid off at any period, not with cash, but by Afortgage Corporation bonds. Could even the disgruntled farmers expect more, reasonable finance than that which is provided by the Mortgage Corporation of New Zealand? I may. add that the borrower has to pay two per cent on the amount he borrows into the reserve fund, and this brings the interest, up to slightly more than the figures I have quoted. Compare this method of finance with getting money from the private money-lender, not that I have anything against them. We were all indebted to them in the past. But when we take i'.to consideration all the charges involved, combined with extremely high iates of interest, it was far too much of a drag ; on any class of business. One had to | pay a valuation fet, procuration fee,; solicitor’s charges and all this had to i be done every few years. I. think the • past Government is deserving of some ! credit for setting up the Alortgage) Corporation *‘Tn spite of all this assistance 1 have mentioned, a certain few consider nothing was done to help the farmer by the past Government. It is those who put little or no money into their farms that are making most noise and I cannot refrain from saying that in some cases I feel more sorry for the mortgagee than I do for the mort- | gagor. I am well acquainted with , some cases where the mortgagee sc-| cured the freehold title of this, pro- . perty by thrift and hard work, and through the infirmities of old age had to dispose of the property to someone else and under the present legislation ' receive little or no interest, while his mortgagor was having at least a good home and full cupboard. “Do those who were, in difficulties and complaining think the farmers were the only people in New Zealand, that the Government had to consider? What about the business people in the various towns who had a very hard struggle? Alany storekeepers, bakers and butchers, etc., were supplying farmers and others with goods which some unfortunately were unable to pay for. I think a large number of business people are deserving of our gratitude for the valuable assistance they renered during a most difficult and trying period. “I am not overlooking another section of the community who suffered more than any other. 'That was the genuine v age. earner, who was both able and willing to do a fair day’s work for a fair day's pay and was compelled to join the ranks of the unemployed through no fault of his own. “Having started in a small way without capital, my experience puts me in a position to realise everyone’s troubles and difficulties during the slump period. I suffered more than many during the slump (partly my own fault) but I am not one of those \vho wish to be spoon fed at the expense of someone else, and blame the Government for every trouble that arises. Have we lost our independence altogether, Air. Editor? Is there no gut or backbone left in us to put up a fight such as the true Britisher and our forefathers did in the past when they were faced with adversity? After all, it is only a little hardship and adversity that keeps the Britisher or the inhabitants of any nation up to a reasonable standard. I may here refer to Robbie Burns, who nt one time went in for farming ami met with •"'■ny difficiil-

ties, but in place M trying to overcome them, he used to go into the house and write a poem about them. I think we may have an odd farmer here and j there who would sooner write to the I Farmers’ Union or the Government about their troubles rather than try to help themselves“Alay I add that I sincerely hope i the policy of the present Government [ will prove of benefit to those who consider they have got no assistance in 3 the past/ Some of the dairy farmers, s however, I am afraid, are overlooking the fact that they are being treated ? like a team of working bullocks drawe ing logs to a sawmill. When they de- ] liver a log at the mill they are sent s back for another. The dairy farmer rr has got to deliver his produce on board h ship, hand it over to the Government, v and while they are gambling with it the farmer is sent back to produce more getting no say whatever in the r marketing of his produce. Could anyL thin"- more drastic be done to take the „ initiative out of any intelligent q farmer? Just imagine the bulk of our dairy farmers, keen business men as a s rule, being put into the position of not r being allowed to take any part in the j marketing of their product—not even e allowed to sell a calf or a pig? It is s the keen buyer and the good seller who makes a success of his business and v eventually gets himself into a good e : sound position and is able to stand up _• ito a slump, or adversity, should it e iconic. The smart business farmer will n be brought down to the level of the n man who is unfortunately lacking in 0 business ability. The most pleasant f and interesting part of farming is the j. buving and selling part of the busi- / ness, which makes the farmer alert. If 7 he is going to be successful he must watch the markets and conditions gent erallv. Competing with one’s fellow- >' men‘undoubtedly helps to educate one e to fight the battles of life. s “It is not mv intention to deal with v the policy of the present Government j. lat this stage, but I am more than ase I founded to think that any section of e I the community should offer so little ir I resistance while they are being com- |. plctely deprived of British justice, freedom and liberty which, has been Vingtht so dearlv in recent ■“