"MANY OBSCURE POINTS"

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 279, 25 November 1943, Page 4

"MANY OBSCURE POINTS"

LAND SALES ACT REFERRED TO AS “PERNICIOUS”

"Steps should have been taken to pievent this pernicious legislation from ever being written into the Statutes.’’ said Mr. R. O. Montgomerie (Kakatahi), at. the monthly meeting of the Wanganui Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union yesterday, when the absence of any statement on policy or the elucidation of obscurse paints in the Servicemen’s Settlement and band Sales Act was criticised. ■'A Minister of the Government of the day, Major C. T. Skinner, has stated that the Act is part ot the Labour Party's plan for land socialisation,” Mr. Montgomerie added. The new system of valuation on a production basis being introduced would rob the established farmer of the fruits of his labour and improvements. If the Farmers’ Union did not fight this issue it was not worthy of the name of a Dominion organisation. Mr. Montgomerie commented that the internal price level in New Zealand had been inflated to such an extent that the farmer had been unable to recover the costs of production. The Farmers’ Union must fight for either a universal writing-down of costs, or a fair return for produce. Mr. R. Campin (Fordell): It is our job to see that the Act is worked in a lair and just way. When this subject first came up for discussion before the Provincial Executive, the Act was already law, said the secretary. Mr. A. R. Donaldson. At that time it was decided not to take any action that might be construed as strike tactics.

To enable fuller discussion of this question at the next meeting in January, the following notice of motion by Mr. Montgomerie was approved: “That this executive unanimously supports the Dominion Executive in any action it might take to contest undesirable sections of the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Act.”