PLAIN SPEAKING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 2 November 1927, Page 9

PLAIN SPEAKING.

CAUSE OF FARMERS’ TROUBLES. “NOT LOYAL TO THEIR CLASS.” “The day the New Zealand farmer takes a leaf out of the Danish farmers’ book and begins to take a real interest in liis own business and consistently supports his own co-operative concerns will, mark the beginning of a new era of prosperity for the man on the land.”

In these words Air. J. G. Cob be, chairman of the Eeilding Farmers’ Freezing Co., Ltd., issued a clarion call to I armors to give greater support to co-operative concerns, at the annual meeting of the company on Friday afternoon Air. Cobbe went on to state that the troubles of the farmer to-day were many, and due to a variety of causes. There was considerable difference of opinion as to the real causes of the troubles that affected men on the land. Some people blamed the banks,. while others blamed land agents, stock companies, labour unions, and politicians. In tlie opinion, of the speaker, the sovereign remedy for most troubles affecting the farmer to-day was to he "found in co-operation. In Denmark. - everything the fanner produced was handled by co-operative concerns.

The Dane realised that he was in business for hits own gain, and accordingly took a live interest in his own co-operative enterprises. The trouble with New Zealand farmers was that they would not act as one united body. They were not loyal to their own class.

“I am speaking plainly because I believe that farmers generally do not realise how serious the position of the meat freezing industry is to-day.”