Agriculture forgotten

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33540, 22 May 1974, Page 12

Agriculture forgotten

i Sir, —The letter from your correspondent “Agricola” was : timely, but incorrect in its assumptions. Several remits concerning aspects of agricultural policy were submitted at the recent Labour Party Conference, among jthem being the following

remit from the Selwyn (Canterbury) branch which may be of interest to your correspondent: 1. When the Government fixes the price paid to farmers for wheat and other grains, the price set should have greater relativity to the international price of grain; 2. In order to stabilise the price of bread and other grain products in New Zealand, the Government should be prepared to adjust this by means of subsidy. I take your correspondent “Agricola” to be a reasonable and fairminded person: could I, however, warn him of taking a too emotive viewpoint of the long-standing farmer versus city worker situation? Both farmers and city people are New Zealanders. Both are necessary for our country’s economic survival.—Yours etc., SELWYN. May 20, 1974.

Sir, —“Agricola” has “humbly” forgotten that he happens to be a part of New Zealand Society. Technology produces machinery, transport, buildings, electric power etc., arts and sciences without which technology is impossible; education on all levels, and the very language “Agricola” speaks, are all expressions of our material and mental culture. They are not created, as “Agricola” asserts, by a handful of farmers, but by society. Therefore, it is a privilege to control one of the most valuable assets of this country, its land, and to derive personal profit from it places a

heavy responsibility en a person, but hardly justifies selfconceit and demands for more privileges.—Yours etc., E.S. May 20, 1974.