REMISSION OF DUTY ON POTATOES.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12480, 17 April 1906, Page 9

REMISSION OF DUTY ON POTATOES.

10 THE KUITOK "T__ PBESS." g.j. j,n your ri'iiu'i ol tlie I'reiiiivir s neocii uc -uutgH-'a -1 nouco tnui .jvcL_ ate likeiy "J como nnuer mc uvei.dutv list. Ihk>, 1 thuiK, a most un-tVrtuu.i.-t' ihmy: lor cue small sutHiiuaii i .rnie'° retina and vy_ie.b 7 |ih« wiling in Uilierei.t. paiis ot tli_ olouv. in '">" opirncn tniKeiing with ?j, c t.irifl m tiiib iv_peel, -lioiiia oe kit K ..-crely alone, l-'unntrs in the potato biifii-... ii; the jn\scnt liuio are „p_TKt- ■ _ _ jjrtM-t amount ot ltiuney ihttH'">» &b( -"■** experimenting. w ith D hlight-r&»is-tina vark-ties, and 1 think potato-giowm.; should not only be protected but eniouiagid ior a year or two to tvee i* we caimot supply our own wantf-. It our normal st„.>oii> return I hn?e confidence that our potato . ron _ will revive again, and ui.%L*ud of sending money to swell the Americans' and Australians' pocket, the money would Ih> kept in tlie colony. If the is high to the consumer it is ivk'cnt it ha.s cost a lot to produce the potatfiT*. Tuk-s the pre-.eiU time, ijucers are receiving two rliUlnigK per bag I'm' butli large and small, and generally speaking in my dint net ihe rehire two hags oi small to cm> of large. The jrowor' has to pay a considcrabl-o amount for digging alcno before ho rets any return, to say nothing of rent of land, preparing same. pUn-ting. etc. In fact, growers were far tatter off a f e w years ago with good crops and fair p r j w *s. The small fanner at. the prevent time ii> heavily handicapped, witli v rising labour market, and taxes ("which increase each year), and he ha.s to put up with the element*, whether his crop is destroyed or otherwise. It .-•oni.*" &o strange to mc that they gen-e-rally fall bark on the farmer, the working bullock oF the country. Why not take the duty off boots and shoes as well, so that a farmer with a family has a chance to recoup his losses. It is the tradesman that is at, tho bottom of this agitation. But let the Harvester Trust, show i,n sight, and then voti will see him loading all tihe suns he can find to ko«o what ho thinks an enemy out. Why don't thr*e men stand by us for a year or fo. the same a? the Government did to them when they thought their tore were likely to he trodden upon. If our own people talk of supporting local industry, follow in the van of tho Government, and treat, the farmer so. then I say, fellowfarmers, do not let sentiment come into your business, but buy in tho chcnp?ist and sell in the dearest market you win. --Yours, etc., SMALL FARMER.