NEW ZEALAND'S "FARMERS'" GOVERNMENT.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17227, 18 August 1921, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND'S "FARMERS'" GOVERNMENT.

MB TEIPP'S SUMMAST.

WHAT MR MASSEY 18 DOWB.

(ntou ora own coßaiswusßrt.)

LONDON, 3v\f A. > Mr Leonard 0. H. Tripp (Weljtafr ton) takes tip the came of Now Z*> land and Mr Massey'a Ctownraeatl* neply to* the article from 'A 3Ww Zealand Correspondent" which •»*£ ' ed in the "Manchester Qvutoair' mm week. "It i 3 wrong of your otrfiwjw*' ~ dent," says Mr Tripp, in a Editor, «*in hia criticism of the ■>■*£- Government and (his endeavour ***T' tribute to that Government A too 0m regard of the fanning classss attbo«s> penae of the rest of the copmwaityi'>» say that the Government 'tan he*** the farmer by subsidies to taf 2 . prices up to the rest of the public." V» . farmer was getting inoro outside of XW» Zealand for this butter than, at BOMft and proposed to raise bis pncea toJW same value. The Government la •/*•. pathy with the consumerand to WW clown the cost of living, had «MM» impose an export tax, wbicn »,g economically, or pay the diflercww J» tween tJhe export price and tlie ajaoisw per pound Che butter was in the Dominion* market. It *£»■§•? do the latter. The fanner ««*» benefit; he could have got his price *jg; where, and no sane Government wag* have taken the extreme step of sgf* ping him from exporting to get it. wj consumers—the general public—«■' benefit. .„ . t „ , "Your correspondent also tells Jtfw readers that Mr Massey's policy » •the farmer first every, time,' Md tßs* , the 'candid admission that Mr Maasey ftparty is a producer's party has created considerable discontent in Ihe town** where the cost of living tetrery high. Incidentally, 1 might say that the CM* of living is not by any means a* mm there as in London, standard for «U«» ' dard, but that by the way. Mr Jtajef may be an ex-farmer, and the niajowy of his members may represent tuaaM constituencies or small towns in ram districts, but he also has <xmiideMW» support in the cities. He has a* «**» 40 country members behind him ("J* House of 80 members), and constituencies returned hw caßnwpi* at the last elections. He bas an a*J> \ lute majority in the House ortr *» ] other parties, even if they contra*** against him, which is not I**yvJ* the Ministry there are only four «**** or ex-farmcrs out of eleven- nwalg* He is popular even with bis So***** political enemies, the extreme W" representatives. ~,,_ ''But is it surprising, or is the».Wr thing to be regretted, or made tfcf J*» ject for drastic comment, in tfts «■*» that a producing country, a OUJJWH which shipped 160 millions stertttf« produce to London during the *W - should have a farmer GovernniettMl* f . Government looking to tlio interests or the farmer P Where would ***2*? , land's revenue come from if the wJJ t ing industry were not fotteroß iff «- helped P New Zealand (has no • a *S*3 " of manufactures to send away, ay could scarcelv compete in distant 0000* -? tries if she had. Shipping ' expensive and wagce are high » B **i~ Kr The official Labour Party at prestaij? * New Zealand—the party your ©MM* /, spondent seems to favour—is the party , * which has done notlliing to P""*??** H harassing coal and wliorr-labour •tnst% and your correspondent would •"'9* ' not wish them to gain control of **#r* ! Btomimon! Yet his comment* toga** iff. It ia entirely wrong, also, to lay ; that the Massey party is popular on* r ,. with the farmers. In conclusion, */ , j should like to say tlhat I am confines* •,•* that Mr Masscy is keeping the Nt* r | Zealand flag flying in the heart of M* s', Empire, and I am very pleased to f** >sj that the English Press give his spesess* *| the prominence they desetre." k