Evening star., 1940-01-29

N owe 10 Defeat
Tax Proposal
Agricultural Groups
ToOffer Own BiIIin
Virginia Assembly
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va, Jan. 29.-Agri-
cultural cooperatives planned today
to offer a bill of their own in the
General Assembly in a move. to de-
feat a measure to tax cooperatives
on the same basis as merchants are
taxed.
w. G. Wysor, general manager OF
Southern States cooperatives, said
a bill would be introduced to amend
the Cooperative Marketing Act ION
fair and reasonable basis" and to
provide that the cooperatives pay
license taxes on all business done
with non-members and also on all
business il. consumer goods, such as
clothing and groceries, whether done
with members or non-members.
A bill sponsored by the Virginia
Retail Merchants Association, in
troduced week before last in the
House, would tax the cooperatives
and would also prohibit the State
from giving the cooperative sub
sides or other aid.
$7,00O,OO0 Asked for Roads.
Another matter of interest to
farmers is plan revealed by Senator
Aubrey G.. Weaver of Front Royal,
to add 6. provision to the new State
highway system bill calling for the
expenditure of not less than $1,000
900 annually on the farm-to-market
roaoS.
Senator Weaver said such provi-
sion would assure the various coun-
ties that their roads will receive at
the least the amount they are now
receiving" This minimum amount,
he added, might be increased if re-
quired.
The highway bill, introduced last
week, probably will come before the
Senate Roads Committee at an early
date. Senator Weaver said a full
hearing would be asked and a full
explanation of the bill would be
offered by the patrons and by Of
ficials of the highway department.
Patrons of the measure are Sena-
tors Weaver, who headed the Legis-
lative Commission studying high
ways, and Walden and Wright.
Budget Hearings Begin Tonight.
The bill provides for consolidation
of the primary and secondary high
ways and for a 100000 annual
fund to be spent at the discretion
of the Highway Commission with
out regard to construction districts.
This discretionary" fund was de-
scribed by Senator Weaver as OF
vital Importance. Under the present
law, he explained, if some emer-
gency arises demanding expenditure
of q large sum OF money 1t works
a hardship on the various counties
in the particular construction dis
trict that might be affected.
If the fund is not used it can be
allocated to the various construc-
ton districts, he said.
The House and Senate, called to
meet at noon after week end
recess, headed into the busiest week
of the session so far. Committees
will consider number of impor-
tant measures, including the budget
bill, Jail and penal reform bills
and measures to amend the Alco-
holic Beverage Control Act.
The Senate Finance Committee
and the House Appropriations Com
mittee will meet in a joint session
tonight to begin hearings on the
SLIT 100000 budget bill.
Referendum to Be Considered.
A resolution calling for refer
endum on a proposed constitutional
amendment to prohibit road fund
diversion will be considered by the
Senate Courts of Justice Committee
this afternoon. The resolution was
offered by Senator Weaver.
The Senate General Laws Com
mittee was also called to meet this
afternoon to consider the liquor ad-
vertlsing bill.
The penal bills will come up for a
second hearing tomorrow night be-
| fore a joint session of the Courts of
Justice Committees of both houses.
Two of the series of measures, one
providing for abolition of the fee
system of compensating sheriffs and
city sergeants, and the other setting
up a parole and probation system.
were discussed at a hearing last
| week.