ORCHARD PESTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 46, 6 February 1928, Page 9

ORCHARD PESTS

(To the Editor.) Sir, —You correspondent “Aihelinas Mali,” by the tone of his letters, is evidently one of the miserable wagetpayers who would rarher let the fruit rot than pay a reasonable wage to have it picked Ho calls the workers suckers when they want 1/6 an hour,, an eight hour day ,overtime paid ana a week’s holiday on full pay tor permanent men. I would like to know where there is anything unreasonable in these demands. For cheap labour, squealers and pessimists the average orchardist takes the bun. If the indiscreet orchardist did not forget himself occasionally and shout of his prosperity when he showed visitors round the district, this “boost” might be taken, by one who hears this king of pessimists at other times, as coming from the land of his spraying materials, spraying engine and output, also of course his car and lorry—America. (Just wants Old Glory hoisted to complete the picture of patriotism). Well, I will leave it to the public to judge who are the “suckers.” Trusting a few more orchardists give themselves away like your foolish correspondent.—l am, etc., WOOLLY APHIS. We have received from Mr. Ralph Paynter a letter answering questions asked by “Woolly Aphis,” with instructions to publish it only when the correspondent gives the editor authority to publish his name. Mr. Paynter says that he did not ask that the writer’s name be given to him, but said that his questions would be answered when he signed his name to his correspondence and did not shelter behind a nom de plume.—Ed. H.B.T.