RURAL RONDS.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18159, 25 October 1930, Page 7

RURAL RONDS.

SALE ON FOREIGN BOURSES ADVOCATED BY MR POLSON. FARMERS IN DIFFICULTIES. (Times Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Friday. An appeal to the Government to stand behind rural credit 'bonds and enable them to be sold on the London market and on the foreign financial bourses was made in the House of Representatives to-night by the member for Stratford, Mr W. J. Poison. Mr Poison said he wished to ensure that farmers would get cheaper money, and that could not be done unless the State stood behind the bonds. He wished the Government to realise that, and to .take the step he suggested as one which would assist in keeping farmers on the land.

“We have got to keep people on the land in the next year or two," he said, “otherwise they will soon be swelling the ranks of the unemployed If the State came behind the Intermediate Credits Board and enabled the bonds to be sold in London and on foreign bourses as other bonds are sold, I believe hundreds and thousands of farmers who are now in the hands of stock and station agents would be enabled to get cheap money. Stock and station agents would welcome it, for many of them have already stated that they will not be able to carry on their clients and will be threatened with trouble unless something is done.

“I don’t wish to create any scare, but I have information that in some districts storekeepers have declared that they will not be able to carry on their farmer customers because of the position that is ahead. I know of one district in which storekeepers are owed £40,000 by farmers in the surrounding district.

“Farmers are not going to get much from their operations this year and if storekeepers cannot finance them, to whom are they going to turn?" queried Mr Poison. “The situation is desperate and I ask the Government to realise that they have got to safeguard the farmers."

bility of such an occurrence. “I am positive the Bill will do things the Minister says it will not do,” said Mr Poison. “The plain English in the Bill seems to be that any parties to a dispute, if the Court so agreed, could make an award. For example, the Seamen’s Union and the shipowners might agree on terms contrary to the public interest, and the agreement might contain matters that the original Act never intended.” Bill Adjourned. In face of repeated speeches of protest from Reform members, the Acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, moved for the adjournment of the debate. Mr P. Fraser (Labour —Wellington Central) said he hoped the House would not adjourn the debate, and that it would put through the measure which had been promised by the Prime Minister and by : the Minister of Lai hour. Mr Ransom’s motion was adopted by 35 votes to 16. and the House proceeded to deal with the third reading of the Appropriation Bill. Appropriation Bill Passed. There was then a change of scene, and in place of the series of Reform speeches to which the House had listened to earlier, there were numerous protests from the Labour benches, members complaining bitterly against the Government’s attitude in not going on with the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. The Appropriation Bill was eventually read a third time and passed, the House rising at 4.45 a.m. till 9.30 this morning, when formal end of session business will be taken. The Local Elections and Polls Amendment, No. 2 (Mr J. McCombs) (Labour —Lyttelton), and the Electric Power Boards and Supply Authorities’ Association Bill (Mr. J. A. Nash (Reform —Palmerston North) were also put through Committe.e. All five Bills- were read a third time and passed. Mr R. A. Wright (Reform—Wellington Suburbs) moved the s Q cond reading of the New Zealand Institute of Architects Amendment Bill, which, however, was withdrawn in face of opposition. 1 BROADCASTING COMPANY. DOAN FROM GOVERNMENT. NOT YET RETURNED. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The sum of £15,000 lent by the Government to the Radio ‘ Broadcasting Company of New Zealand has not been refunded. The money was lent to the company for a period of five years from December 16, 1925, in accordance with the agreement of that date. This information was given in a return tabled in the House of Representatives to-day. In response to a further question as tc the payment made to the company in respect of all classes of licences the following information was tabled: Bight months ended March 31, 1926, £3502; 12 months ended March 31, 1927, £14,103; 12 months ended March 31, 1928, £42,963; 12 months ended March 31, 1929, £54,381; 12 months ended March 31, 1930, £62,604,; April 1, 1930, to October 31, ’1930, £40,198; total, £217,752. Payments in respect of receiving and dealers’ licences were not recorded separately prior to 1929. For the year ended March 31 last the payments* for receiving licences were £58,748, and lor dealers’ licences £3618. EXOTIC COAL. IMPORTS FROM AUSTRALIA. (Special to Times). WELLINGTON, Friday. The amount of Australian coal imported by the Railways Department was the basis of a return furnished to the House of Representatives to-day. The return stated that the amount imported in June was 13,319 tons and in July 5396 tons, a total of 18,715 tons. The quantity was exclusively Port Kembla screened coal. The total amount quoted was the balance of orders placed on February 29 and May [ J 9 prior to the re-opening of the Newcastle mines.