POOR OLD ENGLAND.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19332, 9 June 1928, Page 17

POOR OLD ENGLAND.

TO THE IDITOR OP THE PBESS. Sir, —Although the annual report ot the Farmers' Union Conference was full of interest, it is surprising that the pl-esident, Mr J. D. Hail, shouid have made such an astounding statement as: "Dear old England, she has been going on right down the years breaking up the land with a single-furrow plough." Unfortunately, statements such as this have a happy knack of getting back to "Dear Old England^' although she would not, of course, oe offended, but merely express surprise at our ignorance in New Zealand. I wonder if Mr Hall is aware of the fact that as far back as 1888, 4, 6, or 8furrow steam ploughs were m use. I used to watch two sets of them at work in the one paddock. This was quite general in most of the larger farming districts, and if we take later years, is Mr Hall aware that "Dear Old England" in 1917 and 1918 (war period) was able to produce from the land 85 per cent, of ner own requirements? If this was done with single-furrow ploughs, well, she deserves even greater praise than she actually received. One does not mind rash statements, but why advertise our ignorance of "Dear Old England" ?—Yours, et<\, FAIR PLAY.