GUARANTEED PRICE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4566, 8 November 1937, Page 5

GUARANTEED PRICE.

(To the Editor). Sir, —“Grouser” in a recent issue of your paper, seems to have the greatest difficulty in presenting a case of any sort against the guaranteed price scheme, so he resorts to the old idea of trying to create a cleavage between dairy farmers. He states at the outset, that a sustenance man, killing ragwort, receives £4 per week, while the farm worker receives £3, and gives this to “Cow Cockie” as clear proof that the Labour Government is ruled from the Trades Hall. For “Grouser’s” information (which he badly needs) I would like to point out that a sustenance man is one who really can’t work, and receives a mere pittance on which to live, but the ragwort men can work and are doing a useful service to dairy men generally. These men with £4 per week (if full time) have to provide their own living and housing, while the farm labourer, receiving £3 per week, is found in board and lodging. “Grouser” can think that out. All “Grouser’s” croakings about guaranteed price leads to nowhere, and he must feel awful now butter has reached 150 s overseas. But I and some other dairy farmers realise it might just as easily have been 90s, but we know we will receive a better price next year. The efficient dairy farmer should be better off this year under guaranteed price, and I would suggest to “Grouser” if he is not doing any good, to try something else. Go on the ragwort, for instance, at £4 per week. I think he will be kept in constant employment, as it appears to respond well to fertiliser. “Grouser” states he has no wife to put in the cowshed. I would recommend him to get one and save the £3 per week for farm labour, and I am sure if he puts in machines, concretes his yards, his wife will find it a lot cleaner job than “Grouser” would lead us to believe. He also suggests a course of night school for Mr. Savage. Well, that “gentleman”, I presume, has attended many, but if “Grouser” were to take a real course of study, he would probably attain some knowledge of economics, which his letter indicates he does not possess. —I am, etc.,

X-RAY.

Paemako.