THE FARMER AND HIS ASSAILANTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 28 July 1917, Page 2

THE FARMER AND HIS ASSAILANTS

Sir,—lt is a curious and illogical anomaly of tho animal world that parasites should bo so annoying and irritating to their hosts upon whom they live, move, aud havo their being. This anomaly never appears actually to bo an inovitablo law of Nature, and hence the parallel of the farmer and his numerous assailants both in and out of the House, of Parliament. Some of these attacks aro preluded by false statements, and thoso I procoed to refute. Sir John Findlay stated in Parliament that notwithstanding tho groatly-increas-ed valuo of land since tho war began, no fresh valuations had been made. This statement is not correct, and a visit to tho Valuations Department will give l.im some information on tho subject.

The Hon. W. I). S. MncDoiiahl, a Minister of the Crown, and poK*ns«ins, v.a must iiwiiine, llio virtues peri,lining In Hit offco. in a prepared speech before Parliament, staled that tho prico nf but-ter-fat liefor* Hi* wap .was> 11.2 pence per

lb. Thin is incorrect, aud Eerlously so, because tho statement was premeditated with tho intention of bringing the dairy {armor into contempt, ridicule, and disgraco; and it assails his patriotism. Let us como to actual figures. For the year ending June, 1912, the Eeathorston factory paid its suppliers IG.B pence per lb. For tho year 1913, 14.5 pence iier lb., and for the year 1914, 13.5 pence per lb.

Then, again, a low evenings ago there appeared in tho "Evening Post" a lotter of attack, signed by a Mr. F. A. Wilson, who lia.s lately been reading tho' Economic Journal." He calls the farmers il lot or hypocrites localise they meet in conference and slate a price they want for their products. Air. Wilson must be a very ill-informed young iv.nn if he thinks the fanners are going to allow the "interpreneurs" to take about 300 per cent, profit out of his (the farmors) products. It is' mattel' of public knowledge that meat for which, the farmer gets from 4J pence per lb. to 5} pence per lb. in New Zealand is sold in England for from Is. 4d peuce per lb. to 2s. per lb. As a matter of l'oct, the less tho farmer gets the more the other fellows get, because tho stuff has a market value in England, and no one appears to be able to reduce it to the unfortunate consumer.

Mr. Wilson refers with approval to Professor Spraguo's, lecture in vhich he advocates tho immediate payment of tho whole cost of a war by taking the pcoplo*6 earnings and capital for that purpose, without paying interest therefore. He rocs not approve of raising the money by loan and paying interest. Under the first scheme. ho contend l ) that prices would not rise. While wder tho present borrowing policy, the vast sums expended by tho Government raises prices by leaps and bounds. Now, -under tho scheme at present adopted by all Governments, viz., that of borrowinK, there are two economic factors which raise prices. The disturbance of industry pricos. Tho disturbance of industry and commerce caused by the war and the vast sums of money distributed by the Government. Under tho plunder =chemo advocated by Professor Sprayue and Mr. Wilson, in addition to the above two factors, a third one woidd arise, viz., the decrease of products owing to the Government seizing the results of a man's labour. Professor Sprague's scheme would result in disaster to any nation who adopted it.

Wo have only to refer to history to learn the results of such a confiscatory policy. Macedonia was once a rich country inhabited by a prosperous red happy people. For a long period it has been a barren, unproductive wilderness, and the reason is an economic one. Neither individuals or nations prosper when he that soweth shall not reap. When under laws aud ordinances tho individual becamo entitled to the reward of his energies, when under the same laws and ordinances interest on capital saved by him was looked upon as his just reward for saving, then the world begnn to prosper, and to progress industrially. But notwithstanding this progress and these rccoguiscd rules of the jame, vast numhers of people aro being carried on tho load of tho hard-working, peisevering, and saving industrialist. Vast numbers of people aro living on the product of tho farmer. . In peace limes lie tolerates them with good :>sture, but in this time of catastrophe they are irritating him with their constant attacks. All men are equal is a fine old fry. and was always intended to apply lo privileges only. What about the liabilities in times of crises? You will find tho demagogue is not contributing much to the common fund. His time is occupied by shouting and abusing others. —I am, etc., W. 11. BARTON. Featherslon, July 24, 1917.