WHEAT FOR BELGIANS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8461, 29 May 1916, Page 6

WHEAT FOR BELGIANS

MR LEADLEY EXPLAINS.

HIS PROMISE HONOURABLY FULFILLED.

At the Farmers Union meeting on Saturday Mr G. YV. Loudloy stated that when Jus returned home from the ; conference at Christeliuvch his atton-1 tion had been directed to a letter ( which had appeared in the "Guardian" on Thursday last in regard to growing grain for tho Belgians. Ho wanted to cxploin to tho meeting that he | had introduced this matter at a. meeting of the Farmers' Union Executive held in Chnstchureh. Ho had suggested that cacli of tho farmers should grow a little extra grain and donate. I the proceeds to the Belgian Fund. It was pointed out by farmers at that j meeting that the season had then advanced,. and that most of the graingrowers had their crops in. Personally ho had a small corner of somn three or four acres which had not been sown, and he made up his mind to sow that area with grain and hand over the proceeds to the fund. The letter in the "Guardian" carried with it an insinuation that he did not do anything in this matter. To have these insinuations made was against human endurance, and ho could assure those present that ho was going to run the writer of that letter to earth. The grain referred to was in due* course harvosted, threshed, and put,into new bags and carted up to Ashburton. He then approached the millers, and they I generously consented to manufacture the grain into flour, knowing that it would bring a better price. The flour was put in 501b bags. This was about the time the Queen Carnival was being held in Ashburton, and he suggester] that the flour should be sold to the public. He was then approached by Messrs Hugh McFarlane, H. A. Lloyd, D. Thomas, and R. Curtis, and asked whether he would consent to tho flour | being sold and the proceeds handed : over to the Ashburton Queon Fund. He agreed to the proposal, and tho flour was purchased by the Farmers' Co-op, at full- market value. The proceeds were paid over in support of Miss Baird. Someone had now come forward behind a norn de plume and :vmM:;iua+«l that nothing had been done in the matter, and he (Mr Leadley) had put the matter in the hands of a solicitor. He contended that if these in T sin nations were continually allowed to i be made no man's reputation would be safe. They might just as well have said " where was Leadley when the Kaiapoi murder was committed?" He desired, for the reputation of the farmers, to bring this matter before the public. Mr W. Harding stated that he was gl?.d to hear Mr Leadley's explanation. It had been suggested that Mr Leadley had not carried out what-he had promised to' do, but the explanation should servo to satisfy the public that he had fulfilled his promise. Mr Simpson said it was the same old state of affairs—when a person set out to do something to benefit his fellowmen, he would always find someone ready to find fault with what he had done. He maintained that the higher ■'ii ( i tiro "tho more exposed to the storm.. They had tho same thing in history over and over again in regard to public benefactors. Ho thought Mr Leadley might take some sympathy from the past experiences of others who had been similarly treated. Mr Leadley replied that no doubt Mr Simpson had a very sympathetic way of putting it. For years and years the Ashburton "Guardian" had attempted to hold up his public utterances to ridicule. He considered this was disgraceful on tho part of a public journal, i