THE FARMERS' CLAIMS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 40, 17 February 1932, Page 6

THE FARMERS' CLAIMS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —After reading the reports of farmers' meetings throughout the country, and the opinions o£ professors of economy on the question of exchange and other matters, it is about time that the bulk of the people who are not directly engaged in primary production should take stock of the position, not only of:the- proposed increase in the exchange rate, but: of other matters which directly concern-them. In spite of a certain professor's argument in favour of an increase in the exchange rate, the fact remains.that should this scheme be put into, operation, the position- of all those people'who are not directly engaged mfarnlijig -pursuits will be infinitely worse, and we shall be faced with more unemployment^ more "business failures, and more poverty. It appears to me that the whole scheme is to return to the farmer the benefit of: the'-exchange; in order that the price of'land and: the mortgages thereon shall be maintained at their present value, to the detriment of the remainder of. the community. Some of the farmers' spokesmen have declared that all legislation dealing with awards under the Arbitration Court shall be scrapped,.- that the people engaged in any .'industry -i other than farniing is of secondary importance, and a lot of other matter.which really is amusing: : ."._-'.. ;-.. . ; .Let us. for one moment examine the farmers-position from the point of view of the man in the city.: ;Those who. were on the land prior. arid immediately following the war whose title was leasehold or freehold, were in a fairly good position, in spite of the fact.that prior to the war prices were lower than those Obtaining to-day. During the war prices.. were very high, and those, who had: been farming during, this period should be in. a position to. stasd a lean year or two if necessary, and these presumably are carrying on Without much difficulty. Bint those who went on the land during the boom years, with the expectation of boom prices being there to stay, are those whose position is decidedly , precarious, \ principally on account of their mortgages. These are the people, who are pressing for a higher exchange rate, for the abolition of the Arbitration Court; in fact, for anything that is likely to enable them to meet their mortgage charges, and, in their shortsightedness, believe that lower wages, general dismissals from the Public .Service, and unemployment is going to benefit them. Out of a population of one million and a quarter people in the Dominion,-'there is less than 100,000 engaged in i the farming industry, and in spite of the-sometime pitiful stories which ode.occasionally finds in the newspapers, the facilities which the country provides for. the farmers' benefit is mostly paid for; by those-people who are always condemned by the farmers, i.e., the city man. One wonders if these farmer advocates have ever paused to consider what proportion the farniing community has paid towards roads, railways, bridges, telegraph, telephone, letter : delivery, wireless plants. For their informa-! tion J and amusement. Hydro-electricity, which was primarily" designed for- the benefit of farmers so that he could '■ have power for his niilking, and; shearing machines and lighting. .The cost of this last item is enormous in the aggregate, and is borne mostly by the townspeople, alsp-: a. few other amenities which the farmer is enjoying to-day.-- '■• "•: 5■ ■:-. '.■"■: '._/ We have a farmers' Government,' which,' ■it seemsj is determined to put the farmers', policy regarding higher "exchange;' dismissals, lower; wages, etc., into operation. These farmer politicians were given a mandate from the people of the Dominion to straightenoour the present; tangle; they have done nothing as a Government;' they have appointed boards, committees,- arid more boards;.v 'presumably, .because i theyi want to put the responsibility on some one else's shoulders. One wonders if the appearance of the.Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company has anything to do with our present Parliamentary position. In conclusion, I would commend; the farmers' advocates to a. minister"of the Church of" England who gave ari address' at St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral in this city on Sunday night last^, 14th''inst, on' unemployment. It was a masterly conception of the Christian idea of economy, and incidentally pointed1, out that.the teaching of some of out professors of economy are, to say the least, not up to date. In short, true economy- has. for its: basis the welfare of the people, riot rapid production, under 'consumption, and profits for speculators. —I am, etc., : :

W. H. DOUGLAS.