DOES FARMING PAY?

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 171, 13 April 1908, Page 11

DOES FARMING PAY?

AN INSTRUCTIVE BALANCE-SHEET ' ''BY; TEpEQItAPn'---SrECIAI,,. COIIItESPpNDEiVr.: < '• Obristchureh,'April 11. '".-{At .Thursday's hearing of tho farm, labotirers'-. dispute Mr. H. E. Peryman,:a well-, known farmer of Tai Tapu, put in a balancc-' sheet showing the- result'..of his last year's work.; . He stated that the balance-sheet was ■simply-a profit/arid loss'account for tho year ending September: 30, 1,907. Tho balancesheet showed that the total '-income from producc, grain; soed, .sheop, and pigs was £1656 95.. and tho expenses, (including v/ages, rent, and;interest,' plant written down, etc.), £1352 , Bs.,\ 2d., -leaving, a profit for the 'year of. £30-1 .''Ps-.-.-ipdii-v:,:-No'.,allpfr-anc'6-.-was'/mad6: in,- tho balance-sheet for. interest on."capital invested in stick..-,.Tho item"-';rent and interest" rc-' ■ferrcd only to property.. vThe ; item"charges": included <such\ charges as .blacksniith's°ac-- ' ooiints,-. general: repair, saddlery, sacks, and: ■ living expenses generally. ' He had ftvo sons working; in conncction with his farms. His balance-sheet -showed,,that, the growing of grain entailed tho" most expenditure, and if ; wages , wbro increased that" was tho branch' that lie'.wouid.drop. Do -you consider," ho was asked, " tho . .year; dealt with in-, the balance-sheet . was an avorago one,.'and that you would bo prepared .• tb^lfease 5 your: farm ' provided'.you and your sons could get a fair, return for your labour at present rates?" . ' '"Yes,";,ho replied. "The balance-sheet proves that it would bo better for. me to take ■tho-',wages;that are now offering for myself and',sons,'and, that wo '.would bo better off." Ho,would, be prepared, if sufficient security. . for tho.rent and. interest, was given, to offer his two farms as they stood to tho Union for five years -if they would run them, and pay him and his sons the current rate nf wages. The credit balanco; of course, should bo increased' by the .amount; of 'what was . spent in"the house, because that represented his living. He considered; that lie had mado really-nothing by his farm,; because ho and his sons'"'would. fiavo .earned £577 a year'in wages .'and; food.'- If 'wages wqro increased ho would immediately-sell his farmland his sons' would hiivc to getVspmbtliing else to do. Tho interest ho allowed j>n capital invested on his ■land was 5 pftr cent.