FARMERS’ TRIALS

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 8, 7 December 1926, Page 8

FARMERS’ TRIALS

DIFFICULT TO MAKE A LIVING. PLEA FOR, CO-OPERATION. A plea for closer understanding *and co-operation between farmers and townspeople was made at the Wanganui Rotary Club’s meeting yesterday by Mr W. J. Poison (says the Wanganui Chroncile). They would be interested, he said, to have an insight into farmers’ problems, at present so acute that farmers could not hope to secure a reasonable' profit on their produce. All of those present as business and professional men depended largely for their prosperity on the prosperity of the primary producer, and though the farmers were not quite so badly off as the _ Maori whose cheque “stopped itself,” they were nevertheless rapidly reaching a stage when the cost of production was greater than the returns forthcoming. It was not a time for panic, and farmers were not getting panicky, but they wanted to get the people who dealt with them, and depended on them, interested in the problems they were up against. GETTING TOGETHER. If they could get together and obtain the understanding of city dwellers, then they would feel that they were advancing a long way towards better times.

There were several phrases of rural life and endeavour on which the public was not fully informed. It was not generally known that the development of many freezing companies during the war period was due to the fact that at that time farmers had the greatest difficulty in getting their meat frozen unless they had interests in a freezing concern. For that reason raaiy farmers acted as guarantors for freezing companies and now had to pay up. They did not ask for sympathy on that account, but they did want the public to understand the motives from which they had acted. ECONOMY OF FINANCES. Greater economy in public finance was a measure the farmers believed to be necessary. They could not continue facing taxation while things stood as they were. It was essential that taxation should be decreased, otherwise they would not be able to maintain their farms. Mr Poison pointed to the extent to which public expenditure has increased—from £SOOO to £33,000 annually on the Tourist Department, from £II,OOO to £127,000 on the Department of Public Health, and from £1,400,000 to £3,800,000 on the Department of Education. The increase was evident throughout the public departments, and the position was that primary products were worth less than they were in 1914, while they were not much greater in bulk. In his own case he had sold his wool in the 1913-14 season for more that it would bring to-day. _ But-ter-fat brought less to-day than it did then, while lamb and mutton brought only a little more. The products which paid for the taxation were worth the same, while the taxation, including enormous war taxes, was heavier. All who were taxed could pass it on, except the farmer, who could not do so. Consequently, hardly a farmer in the country could at present show a credit. UNSTABLE LAND VALUES. Speaking as president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, Mr Poison said that the farmers wanted to stabilise land values, than which no influence was more demoralising. He himself had outlined a scheme by which land values could be stabilised by means of an agricultural bank. Without the support of city business people the Government would be slow to put such a system into operation. Another point was that they wanted more markets for their produce. At present all their eggs were in one basket. They were doing practically all their business with the Mother Country, and the Mother Country was doing her best for them. But the Mother Country did not want them to be penalised by dealing only with her, because she knew that the more trade New Zealand got the more powerful the Dominion would be as an Empire unit. He thought a workable trading arrangement could be made with ( the United States, and also that there were valuable potential markets in the East.

They must have some sanity regarding tariffs, so that the producers would not have to bear any additional burdens. No great industries, lie claimed, were ever fostered by protective tariffs, and while protection was desirable to foster young and striving industries, the danger was that the thing would be overdone, if it were not already overdone in the Dominion. LAND SETTLEMENT POLICY. In regard to land settlement he had seen in Brazil and Western Australia, better systems than that operating in New Zealand. In Brazil a prospective settler was given a piece of land free to work on. Something would have to be done with the second class land in this country. They knew the plight of many settlers on second class,land. Bankruptcy loomed in front of them, and it was the Governirient’s duty to see that something was done. Further, the Department Of culture must not continue to be the “Cinderella” of Government departments. It should have'a larger-share of public expenditure, and the importance of agricultural enterprise along sound lines should be thoroughly appreciated. The farmers wanted the Government to have sufficient »|>aekbone to give them security with regard* to labour. Labour wanted its rewards increased, and good luck to them.if they could get it. But what about the rewards of the primary producers? Labour was making more demands every year, in spite of existing awards, and there should be some penalty for breaches of the awards. Preference to unionists should be abolished where a breach occurred.

It had been laid down that 14d per lb for wool and 18d for butter-fat were necessary to allow farmers to make ends meet, but produce was not realising these prices at present.

The farmers were striving to be better understood by the people with whom they came into contact, and if the Rotary, Club could assist that end they would have made a decisive step forward. (Applause.) A vote of thanks to Mr Poison was carried by acclamation.