FARMERS SPEAK OUT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 218, 12 September 1923, Page 9

FARMERS SPEAK OUT.

STAGNATION IN THE COUNTRY. MORE MONET AND MEN NEEDED. Strong criticism of the Government's neglect of the farmers was voiced at the Auckland Provincial Executive of the Farmers' Union last evening. Mr. V. C. I Munro presiding, when the question of immigration was discussed. j ' The position to which we are asking I the people of the Old Country to corre to is' not enviable, but we can make it [butter, and must do so." declared the ' chairman. I Mr. ( . K. Wilson fPiopioi said they I should leave no stone unturned in regard ,to the oversea* immigration delegation ] now in New Zealand. a.nd he moved that i the Government be again urged to take i full advantage of the British Immigration Act. while the delegation is in the ! L^nmtnion. i Mr. A. A. Ro»s i To Kauwhata). second--1 ing. said it was difficult to understand I the Government"? attitude in hesitating to adopt the British scheme. Members: They are afraid of Labour! Mr. Ross said there could be no more opportune time for encouraging immii prat ion. T Mr. R. D. Puxfield (Horotiu) said i that the secretary received quite a number of applications for farm hands, 'which went unsatisfied. When one considered the number of shiploads of immigrants coming here it looked aa if i there was a big leakage somewhere. It i was stated that many immigrants had \ returned Home, hut that was difficult to : ascertain. People were drifting to the 'towns, and it was almost impossible to : get men into the backblocks. Mr. .1. Trewin (Marohemo) said the farmers were starving for want of I labour. The reason was that they could not afford to pay the wages asked. The : country was going bark because of the I lack of cheaper money and moie I labourers. He did not know of one i larmer who rould afford to pay tlie ■wages demanded. The wages paid by jthe Public Works Department and local bodies were far above what the primary 'products of our country warranted, and j naturally the farmers were out of bounds. The tendency was to draw labourers into the towns where condi- ! tions were different, the working hours ;beinz fewer. At present the farmers, I their wives and children, were keeping lup the primary products by working long hours. A Member: Slavery! Mr. Scott said he did not think they need fear opposition from the Labour party so long as the policy provided [effectively for immigrants going on to ■ the land". These immigrants must be men used to farming. He concluded by asserting that if farmers wanted men to go into the back country - they must support a good roads policy, because men would not remain in the backI blocks for six months without any chance I of getting to town. The chairman declared the Govern- : ment was making it harder every day for the farmers, and it was no wonder I there was a drift to the towns. Outside j suburban areas all development ceased, i and there was stagnation. I The motion was adopted.