About Farming Prospects

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 110, 3 February 1931, Page 7

About Farming Prospects

Sir, —I wonder what good Mr. Forbes thinks he is doing when he states that farmers will be fortunate if they make a living for the next twelve months. We all know times are bad, but why rob us of the hope of improvement, even, perhaps, early improvement? Such things have happened before—prices have gone up quite unexpectedly. And it may happen again. Mr. Massey never spoke like that. He always sounded a higher and more hopeful note. He knew that want of confidence was at the-bottom of threefourths of our trouble, and so, he always took a reasonably hopeful view of the future, and that helped to buck the people up and kept them working. ’ Men holding high public positions have no right to disclose their own private depressing thoughts when they speak in public. They should always encourage people to wire in and work hard and win through as our fathers did. If all the men out'of work would only take any kinci of q decent wage as we did at one time, and get off the road and into some kind of work, the country would pick up no end at once. Many farmers would be willing to pay 8/- or 10/- a day and found. Well, surely that is not too bad with wool at 3d. But as long as this “party” 14/- a day—the pledge by which Mr. Forbes got in and still holds officeremains I am afraid there is not much doing. All over New Zealand Mr. Forbes is looked-on as an honest, straight chap, a farmer, and sound. If he would take the advice of an old friend who has watched all his Parliamentary career closely, he will “go to the people now. He knows it was Sir Joseph Ward that was elected last time. Let Honest George so to the people now. and if he comes back on top. as he may. then he will be a “leader” all right and become another Seddon or Massey, and hold office for a generation. That is my best advice to George Forbes.—l am, etc., Q.E.D. Japuary 30,