RURAL SCOTLAND.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19841, 31 January 1930, Page 3

RURAL SCOTLAND.

FARMERS' DIFFICULT TIMES.

DUMPING OF GERMAN GRAIN.

The age-old problem of the farmer —as indeed of most other people—of how to "make ends meet," is evidently no easier of solution in Scotland than in N'ew Zealand, according: to Dr. W. Saddler, who has come to Christchurch as Professor of Mathematics at Canterbury College. Though claimin? no special knowledge of agriculture. Dr. Saddler has spent much time in rural Scotland, and knows that the Scottish farmer, m spite of his traditional thrift, is, generally, not having a properous time at present. When discussing this with a Press reporter yesterday. Dr. Saddler said he was not going to attempt to give a reason for it. He had often been told, however that it did not pay to-dav to produce. Scottish farmers had certainlv been hit bv the decline in the value of wool. The black-faced breeds of sheep were predominant in Scotland, and there was not much demand for this class of wool. Then a great outcry had been raised bv the dumping of German grain m Scotland, and underselling the local product. This had had a verv serious effect, and had aroused keen feeling. Generally speakin e the Scottish farmer was a good farmer, and used the most up-to-date methods. Tractors, for example, were in eenera! use. Thero had not been the wholesale division of the big estates as there had been in England. In some of the places in the North co-operative farming was being tried, but with what success he could not say Scottish Industry. In the towns there was certainly evidence of unemplovment. The workers, however, seemed to be working very hard, and it was confidently expected that this would ultimately mean the salvation of industry. I" Dundee, a town he knew well, the manufacture of jute products was the staple industry but the export market had been adversely affected. The masters of industrv were, however, not pessimistic about the future.