54. Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that the Government grants to agriculturists for sowing reclaimed fields where the land has been flooded do not cover the losses of cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry, he will consider issuing an interest-free loan to be paid out of the farm profits over five years to those who have sustained losses of livestock due to the floods.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsNo, Sir, I do not consider that such a loan would be an appropriate method of assisting farmers who have suffered losses of livestock through floods. The arrangements which the Government proposed include, first, 1530 payments out of the Agricultural Disaster Fund, to which the Government are contributing approximately 5o per cent., and, secondly, the inclusion of livestock in the Agricultural Goods and Services Scheme.
Mr. De la BèreDoes not the Minister appreciate that the farmers need cash in order to re-stock; and is not he also aware that however good are the measures which he has mentioned, they are not really sufficiently comprehensive to do all that is required?
§ Mr. WilliamsThey are just good enough to satisfy the leaders of the National Farmers Union.