WHEAT-GROWING AND MOTORCARS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18919, 7 February 1927, Page 11

WHEAT-GROWING AND MOTORCARS.

TO THE EDITOR Oi TUB TRESS. Sir,—l read two correspondents' views on the above subject in your columns recently. Apparently "To Korohekc" is awav back in tho prehistoric ages. The automobile Js blamed by him as being tho solo cause of "farming failures," but most farmers will ngreo that this statement is unfounded. Indeed I do not know of a single farmer who is "under the load" through owning au auto. I do know that these unfortunate people gave a pneo lor their farms which, in many cases, was approximately twice the value of me land, and let me repeat that no land is worth more than it can produce. As a result these men work like slave?, and want an extra high price for their wheat, etc., which comes off this -ami. These unfortunato farmers go bankrupt and lose all. including much honest *weat. When the slump arrived evcrv husiuei* (farming included) lost inoncv. but the mortgagee did not. \M>y should he be an exception to the rule. Of course tacro might be isolated cases, in which the farmer has beeu extravagant, an.l did not attend to business. I agree that this Species or farmer should suffer, and should r.o: escape without punishment. ( Kow, ;:s regards the farmer w,io

motors into the City v.rckly. I agrc that this procedure is unnecessary and extravagant, and v.iil eventually collapse for want r>f funds. In the City the young men are at picture?, dances, etc.. perhaps two or three nights weekJy (and in some cases almost nightly > .-.11 the year round, and have a half-day holiday on Saturday. On the other hand, wo in the country can attend a daucc or other entertainment, say once a week on the average, and in most cases have to travel lengthy distances over (bad) roads. Again the average farmer or assistant might possibly have half a dozen-half days off in tlio year, this being allowed in the slack time only. Wo usually work eight hours, plus a good few more, especially when a .job has to he finished, and we have plenty of this kind. The average farmer works approximately 10 to i! 0 hours overtime per week. Last Sunday 1 motored to a picnic spot not far away, and noticed that those present consisted mainly of citv folk.

Now, should the farmer I have just described bo deprived of a car used for an occasional outing while the city folk possess them, though in the city this means of locomotion is not required?

Let mo adviso "Te Koroheko" and '•Twenty Shillings in the Pound" to be a little human. This is not inconsistent with paying twenty shillings in the pound.—Yours, etc..

YOUNG FARMER. February sth, 1927.