"GROW LESS FOOD."

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 192, 15 August 1925, Page 33

"GROW LESS FOOD."

LORD EENLB'S ADVICE TO FABMEBS. What Lord Ernie write* about farming 1* always Interesting _ and important from his immense knowledge and practical grasp of that subject. In "The Land and Its People" he la at his best, applying the experience which he gained daring the war, when for three eventful years he wa* president of the Board of Agriculture. He makes very short work of those who denounce agricultural landlords as harpies and "parasites." During the last hundred years agricultural land owners have not grown richer. In net income they have become very much poorer. In 1814 the gross income from agricultural land was 42§ millions; in 1922 it was 43i milliona-, or practically the same. In 1814 it waa rather more than one-fifth of the gross national income; in 1922 it was considerably less than onefiftieth. All payment for the use of agricultural land has vanished; the rent barely suffices to meet. the interest on the money rank in providing building, drainage, and fencing. The average net return to the land owner, after deducting from the gross rent the necessary outgoings for repairs, insurance, and management, was 3J per cent on hia capital, and nothing at all for the use of his land (in 1919). Lord Ernie's advice to farmer* is to united and make themselves a political party. Until they do this, they will never get justice. As a business policy he advises the arable farmer to grow less food. It i* a disheartening conclusion, especially in view of the consequences to labour. . . . The only defence which farmers can offer to food imports is to combine In a co-operative association of growers and distributors. A final blow to the "cranks" Is Lord Ernie's demonstration that the community never owned the land, and that even in the solden age there were landlords. i