Captain HENDERSONasked the Minister of Agriculture whether under the Improvement of Land Acts he is prepared to authorise loans for the purpose of electrical equipment of farm buildings and the provision of electrical machinery for 1084W milking, refrigerating or pasteurisation, or for threshing, crop-drying, cutting and blowing of ensilage or similar purposes which the rural electrification scheme will render practicable?
Mr. GUINNESSThe provision of electric power apparatus for buildings (which would include farm buildings) and other works required or used in connection therewith are among the purposes for which loans may be sanctioned under the Improvement of Land Acts subject to compliance with the conditions imposed by those Acts. One of the conditions is that a proposed improvement must effect a permanent increase of the yearly value of the lands proposed to be improved exceeding the yearly amount proposed to be charged thereon. The cost of machinery fittings and appliances which are movable could not be included in a loan, and it would be necessary to deal with each individual case on its merits before deciding whether or not a loan could be sanctioned.