THE FARMERS’ FRIEND

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22467, 30 July 1938, Page 20

THE FARMERS’ FRIEND

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir,—lt would take more space than I would care to ask to reply to all the points raised by D. Robertson and G W. Dell, the majority of which are quite foreign to the subject of this discussion —whether or not the dairymen are entitled to the whole of the £925,000 hold by the Government. The admission that steps were being taken to reduce costs by the previous Government shows that it, and not the present party, is entitled to at least most of the credit for what has been done. D. Robertson says that the expression “the control of production, ’ is indefinite, Well, as it is a plank of the Labour platform, his quarrel is with the Labour Party, and not with me. Is G. W. Dell serious when he suggests that farmers can control their butter by making it on their farms? If that is the only way they can control n, then they are little better than sens now. , , , , The production of a balance-sheet would serve no useful purpose, as any comparison between the past and present prices paid to farmers, in view of the difference in London, would carry no weight. The question whether the farmer is entitled to the balance held by the Government has been evaded by your correspondents, except to say that it will be given to them when the Minister, in his wisdom, thinks it is for their good. Would a trades unionist allow anyone to retain some of his wages, to be given to him only when, in the opinion of a .third party, it was in his interests to reserve it? D.. Robertson claims that some farmers are childish in their “demands for more than is good for them"—the only class, apparently, that is not capable of thinking for itself. The farmers will appreciate that, I am sure. To express confidence in the benevolent intention of the Minister is poor consolation to the farmers, and the wrangling over this money will not inspire confidence in the minds of the rest of the producers. The statement that the price of our butter is almost on a par with Danish can be met by the statement that at times in the past it has been on a par.—Yours, etc.. R. B. DALLEY. July 29, 1938.