FEELING THE PINCH

Hawera Star, Volume L, 29 November 1930, Page 11

FEELING THE PINCH

CONDITIONS IN OTHER. LANDS. That New Zealand is not the only country whose farming and pastoral industries are feeling the pinch is obvious to anyone who keeps in touch with the overseas Press. Here are two paragraphs, culled from American and English papers of recent date, that indicate how the depression is affecting rural interests in those coun--1 ries: From the “London Spectator”: “A farm Vwithin 70 miles of London), with a good homestead —both house npd outbuildings—has just been sold freehold at the inclusive price of £4 10s an acre. The money would not build the horse or equip the farm with buildings. The land is, therefore, reckoned as a minus quantity. It is, in fact, in many cases, actually cheaper to buy a farm with a house than to buy the house without the farm. The farm was known at one time as good land; hut land of this sort of goodness is no longer of value anywhere. It answers to the general description of wheat 1 and bean land, and nowhere

in the world have I ever seen such | heavy crops of beans as farmers once ! grew there. It contains every mineral that plants require, but it is difficult to work; and now that the labour bill is of overmastering importance the mechanical drawbacks more than outweigh the chemical advantages.” From the “American Sheep-breeder” : “Idaho wcolgrowers have nnanimously agreed to reduce overhead expenses and production costs -by reducing wages 20 per cent, to take effect on July 1, 1930'. This, became necessary on account of the 30 to 35 per cent, reduction in '\voolg^owe^s , products m the past year. It seems that the only European countries that are financially and economically sound to-day are those that did not enter the war, notably Denmark, Holland, Norway, and Sweden As neutrals they made money, and put a good deal of it into development of their primary industries Now thev are reaping the benefit, while we, havino- squandered our substance, are forcecf to pay the piper who is calling the tune—and dance to it as well, let we are not nearly as had off as some other countries; we know where the trouble lies, and we have the ability to overcome it.