INCREASED WOOL PAYMENT QUESTIONED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 63, 17 March 1943, Page 2

INCREASED WOOL PAYMENT QUESTIONED

PROTEST BY FARMERS OVER GOVERNMENT ACTION (0.C.) Marton, March 16. “I consider that we should enter an emphatic protest over the method adopted by the Government in handling the 15 per cent, increase in price for our wool which the Imperial Government paid for the benefit of New Zealand wool growers,” said Mr. C. G. C. Dermer (Feilding) at Monday’s meeting of the Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union at Marton. ‘‘We are far too prone to taking things lying down,” continued Mr. Dermer, who urged that public meetings should be held to enable the public at large to understand the position. He was confident that the public did not know what had happened and were not aware that the Government had compelled the woolgrowers to subscribe to a compulsory loan. The chairman (Mr. D. G. Gordon) expressed agreement with the idea of a protest meeting, but felt that farmers would not get anywhere unless they insisted on the Government in paying over the 15 per cent, increase in cash or provided for a compulsory loan for everyone and not only for one small section of the country. Unless the Government was prepared to do this, he felt like advocating that farmers should not subscribe to any further loans.

The matter of the Government handing non-negotiable stock to woolgrowers in payment for their wool was raised by Mr. A. Howard (Marton) who moved the following motion: “That this meeting questions the right of the Government to force farmers to take any portion of the payment for wool in non-negotiable bonds. We believe that such non-negotiable bonds are not legal tender and therefore they can be used to discharge a debt only by consent of the party to whom the money is due. We therefore ask the Union to obtain the fullest possible legal advice on this matter, and it necessary, to bring a test case so that the matter may be decided by our courts of law. If our contention is supported by legal opinion, we ask the Union to advise all farmers as to the best course of action pending the decision of the test case.”

Mr. J. B. Dudding, in seconding the motion, stated that in his case, he would receive bonds valued at £35 on which he would have to pay approximately £l2 income tax. He proposed sending his bonds back as being unacceptable. Mr. W. Glenn, representing the Sheepowners’ Federation, who was present, supported this resolution which was carried unanimously. It was agreed to hold a meeting of protest in Feilding at as early a £iate as possible and to invite the Dominion President of the Farmers’ Union to speak.