LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25092, 25 January 1947, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

1. Letters sent to the Editor for printing must be written in ink on one side of the paper only, and writers must send in their names and addresses in full, whether they wish these to be printed or not. 2. Writers must say clearly whether or not their letters are being or have been sent to other papers. 3. The Editor cannot return or keep any letter which for any reason is unsuitable for printing, nor can be acknowledge unsuitable letters, although this will be done where it seems to be needful, or enter into any correspondence about letters sent in. 4. Letters must not be of more than 150 words in length. PRICE OF WHEAT Sir,—Several important factors have been overlooked and very misleading statements made. No farmer is compelled to grow wheat regardless of price. “Mairzy Doats” apparently prefers to be taxed to pay Australian farmers 10s than our own farmers 8s excluding shipping costs. Moreover we will be forced to accept flour, thus creating unemployment. Lack of offals will increase the egg shortage. Farming organisations definitely informed the Government that to get an increase, land producing under the 30 bushels must be utilised, therefore costing on that basis was useless. Another serious disability was failure to allow cost increases incurred before 1942. There was excellent drilling weather in June. The price compulsorily accepted as late as July 15 is quite irrelevant as regards acreage sown. Another vital factor is that restricted hours of work create great obstacles in expeditiously handling a large crop. Less consumption must follow less work.—Yours, etc., V. WILKINSON. Mitcham, January 23, 1947.

Sir, —The letter in this morning’s paper by “Balance Facts” is very misleading, and iS typical of the sort of wild claims which are made by farmers in their efforts to get for their wheat a higher price than is justified. “Balance Facts” states: “For our requirements of imported wheat £6,000,000 at least would have to be sent out of the country.” This is very misleading, as a glance at the “Abstract of Statistics” will show. Thus, for the year 1944 the value of our imported wheat was £1,002,855, for the year 1945. £2,320,445. while for the nine months ended September 30, 1946, the figure is £1,154,110. (No later information regarding 1946 appears to be available.) New Zealand cannot in any circumstances produce the whole of its wheat requirements; and I hope the Minister of Industries and Commerce will not be misled by a coterie of avaricious farmers.—Yours, etc., W.B. January 24, 1947.

Sir, —I have noticed the correspondence in “The Press” recently regarding wheat-growing. I think the wheatgrowers have not played the game. Before the war they were paid a guaranteed price which was always greatly in excess of the overseas price; and the only reason was to encourage wheat-growing so that ample supplies would be available in time of emergency. What happened? Immediately the world price increased to a figure greater than the New Zealand price, our growers took advantage of world conditions and endeavoured to squeeze the Government to allow them a greater profit than they were entitled to. When cheap wheat comes again would it not be better for the Government to build up and hold a large t reserve against emergency, rather than pander to farmers who are quite prepared to take the good when they can, and let the country down whenever it suits them?—Yours, etc., NEMESIS. January 24, 1947. 1947 Sir, —1947 sees us grasping for . . .? “Yet most of all grant us brotherhood ... a brotherhood, not of words, but of deeds. We are all of us children of earth—grant us that simple knowledge. . . . Grant us a common faith that man shall know bread and peace; that he shall know justice and righteousness, fre'edom and security, an equal opportunity and an equal chance to do his best, not only in our lands but throughout the world. And in that faith let us march towards the clean world our hands can make.”—Stephen Benet’s prayer is ours.—Yours, etc., A. E. E. IVORY. January 24, 1947. UNIVERSITIES Sir, —Articles on the universities remind New Zealanders that all advancement in civilisation has been made by scientists. Wake up, politicians. A discovery that concerns women especially has been made by scientists. Women in charity bequests will all to religious organisations and never acknowledge their debt to the scientist, who daily worked to save their soldier sons. University professors and teachers, especially research workers, cannot be too highly paid. To our shame they have to go elsewhere. Our women and our Government are too ignorant to realise their worth, or are they afraid to?—Yours, etc., F. PRATT. Sumner, January 24, 1947.

POLAND’S DESTRUCTION Sir, —Regarding G. F. Seward’s conjecture that ‘‘no one except the communists would object to the Polish people choosing any system of government they wish, old or new,” brings home to most rational people the realisation of the poignant truism that this section of the community suffered more than any other section the inhuman indignities inflicted upon them by German or local fascism; and any political party in Poland which had or has only a nodding acquaintance with this scourge cannot be tolerated by the majority of electors. For each protagonist of parties whose leaders assert that the elections were “faked” there are innumerable authorities who proclaim that they were above board. The attitude of G. F. Seward is that the 83 per cent, forming the Government bloc in the election returns are misguided and wrong, and that he and the Mikolajczyk sympathisers are correct. —Yours, etc., D.H.C. January 23, 1947.

Sir, —The choice of words for the heading of this controversy is, in my opinion, unfortunate. However, this is not so important as the inconsistency of your correspondent G. F. Seward. He now appears as a champion of democracy, complaining that the present Government of Poland was forced upon • them, whereas he has repeatedly supported Franco’s Government, the most undemocratic government in Europe. As I have stated, in former letters, Mr Seward’s complaints have a deeper import than appears on their surface.—Yours, etc., A.T.H. January 23. 1947. FOOD AND FAT FOR BRITAIN Sir,—Though I would not for the world take any step likely to injure New Zealand school children in the least degree, I heartily support the suggestion of “Remembrance” that the daily milk should be temporarily diverted from the schools to the factories in order that more butter and cheese could be exported to Britain and other countries in desperate need. Except in special cases, it is doubtful if the children here really need this extra milk, as most of them get, or could get, quite enough at home. Should, however, there be any small sacrifice, it would, I am sure, be amply compensated for by the „ pleasure most children would find in the knowledge that they were doing something specialto help their fellows in other lands who are in such an incomparably worse position. “H.S.” may, if he wishes, still regard this as “an impudent suggestion.” I must chance that.—Yours, etc.. GEORGE INGRAM. January 24, 1947. Sir, —The suggestion of your correspondent "Remembrance” is one worthy of serious consideration by the Government. During the long summer vacation it is presumed the milk normally available for the schools is diverted to the butter and cheese factories. Consequently, there must be a substantial increase in these products while the schools are closed. To discontinue the issue of free milk to our schools—even if only for the warmer months—would entail little hardship for the pupils, and the sacrifice .would be well worth while. It would provide a splendid opportunity of giving a practical demonstration of sympathy for the sorely-tried British children. Their need is greater than ours.— Yours, etc.. PIONEER’S SON. January 24. 1947. 1