Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1917. FARMERS AND THE “GO-SLOW” POLICY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10113, 22 October 1917, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1917. FARMERS AND THE “GO-SLOW” POLICY.

Because the member for Lyttelton has said it, and the editor of the “Maoriland Worker” backs np Ids statement, Mr James Thorn apparently considers himself justified in repeating the assertion, made to discredit Mr Massey, that there was no wheat shortage, when the Prime Minister arranged for the importation of Canadian wheat in 1914. In face of the oliieial figures, which were quoted by the “Standard” in its leading article of the 12th inst., it is surprising that such an irresponsible trinity of personages as Messrs Holland, AleCombs and Thorn, should have the hardihood to repeat a statement the untruth fulness of which is so easily demonstrated. The 1912-13 and 1913-14 harvests had fallen so far short of requirements as to have exhausted the prior surplus stocks, and, although the prospects for 1914-15 seemed better, the returns showed that barely sullicrmt wheat was harvested to cover the ore id requirements of the Dominion, while no provision was, or could he, made for seed wheat without drawing upon that required for milling purposes. The harvests for the three years mentioned, on the average yield of 0,(585,220 bushels, actually entailed an approximate yearly shortage of one million bushels, as compared with the requirements of the country on tko six bushel per head basis. That fact should bo remembered, when similar statements to that made by All 1 Thorn on Sunday night are put forth as gospel. That the snortage existed, and that it still exists, may he denied, but the fact cannot be controverted. Our purpose in referring to this matter, however, is to draw attention to the. attacks that are so repeatedly mad?: upon the farmer, and which formed the subject of one of the jibes levelled against the farming community by Air Thorn in his address at the Ivosy Theatre last evening. His statement that the farmers had adopted a “goslow” policy in regard to wheat-grow-ing, and Ids attempt to class them with the followers of the I.W.W. principle, was just as untruthful as his denial that a wheat shortage existed. When Air Massey made his appeal to the primary producers in 1914 to put more laud under wheat, they responded cheerfully, and, although made late in the season, they actually increased the area under crop by 52,820 acres, while in the following year, for the 1915-10 harvest, they actually increased the area by another 100,000 acres, as is apparent in the following figures:— Acreage Under Year. 'Wheat. 1913-14 106,774 1911-15 229.600 1915-10 329,207 In less than eighteen months after Air Alassey’s appeal had been made to them they had sown an additional 162,433 acres for wheat, thus practically doubling the area under crop in 1913-14. To speak of such action as savouring ol

the “go-slow” policy is as grotesque as it is untruthful, Unfortunately lor ie larmors, many of them suffered severely by their patriotic response to Mi* i ‘' sey’s appeal, the return only ayerag a 21.59 bushels to the acre. iNot since 1898 has so much land been under wheat in New Zealand as was the case m JMol(j, while, to get a similarly disastrous harvest, we have to go back neai y years to 1898, when the average was only 17.95 bushels per acre, the lowest yield in the years that have since intervened being that of 1902, when the at elage was 24.70 bushels. That many o them, under such circumstances ami having regard to the uncertain tahom conditions, should have turned then attention to grazing and sheep taunm„, is not to be wondered at. In e * James Thorn would hesitate to cent nnc a losing enterprise, and, whatevei > bo skill to till) contrary, ™’“‘ be profitably grown m to-day under os 6d or 6s per buM unless the yield is well over last jm "Sfuio “go slow” charge should ho levelled against the farming community is one of those absurdities of which o gentlemen of Mr James Thorn s c could bo guilty. There is somethin almost diabolic in the cunning wlncn endeavours to cover up one s own misdeeds, or the misdeeds of the class which one belongs, by alleging snnilai misdeeds on the part of one s J?P,P OI i cn „ V The average farmer is one of the u<t est-worked individuals in this coun i } • For him there is no eight hour day oi forty-four hour week. Each, and eieij, dav brings its special work which must he’ attended to, Sundays and holidays alike. And while the “so-called worker takes his weekly half-holiday and his day off on public holidays, including such unnecessary occasions as “iJominion Day.” and “Labour Day,” etc., the fanner has to work on, and let tlie other follow “go slow.” It is therefore, just a little over the odds to have Labour, in the person of Mr James Thorn, accusing the man who works of going slow, while ho attempts to exonerate the real “go slow” people, who only work because they are obliged to, ami who shuffle out of as much work ns possible.

The Defence Department has decided not to hold (he annual group rifle meeting this year. The annual street collections in aid of Dr. Barnado’s Homes will bo held on Thursday and Saturday next. The entries for the Manawatu A. and P. Association's spring show closed on Saturday evening, the aggregate number showing an advance on the total received at the last spring show, Tho stock entries have tilled very well, and this division promises to be a fine feature of the forthcoming exhibition. ... A heavy, disagreeable wind set in from the westward yesterday and continued throughout the day. Fruit trees in blossom suffered severely, and flowers and young growing crops received a considerable buffering. Pvts. If, J. Lovett and N. M. Bell have been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for Insubordination at Trentham. The Minister for Defence told Parliament that the men who were getting sentences of this kind were mostly conscientious objectors. They are to be imprisoned in the country prisons for the time being, and' will be employed on tree-planting, construction of roads, etc. The southern portion of the contingent of returned soldiers who arrived at Auckland on Saturday passed by special express to Wellington this morning. The contingent includes the following men from ilijs district; Sorgt. Clift'. Gunner Day, Pvt. Ayers (Palmerston), Pvt. McEwen (Tiakitaliuna), Gnr. Grossman (Feilding), and Pvt. Stewart (Otakif. While playing on the road last evening in Summerhays street, Jack Paul, a son of Mr Harry Paul, of this town, was run over by a motor-cycle and side-car, and sustained a broken leg. The little sufferer was attended by a doctor, who ordered his removal to the hospital, where ho is progressing favourably. Tho anniversary services of tho Cuba street Methodist Sunday School wore held yesterday, the Rev. Richards, of Napier, being tho preacher for the day. Special music was rendered by the children, who were assisted by the choir and an orchestra, under Mr A. J. Lather. The services were largely attended, in spite of tho inclement weather, and were most successful throughout.

Whilst a party of boys were walking along the banks of the Manawatu at To Matai on Saturday afternoon they made a rather gruesome find. In ;r pot hole in the river they discovered the body of a man, which had apparently become entangled with some object in the hole. The police were soon acquainted with the matter, and Constables Cow and Andrews went out and brought the body to the morgue. The body, which had evidently been in the water for some weeks, appeared to bo that of a man of about 35, stt 6in in height, and well set up, with brown hair and tight moustache, and was clothed in a dark vest and trousers, heavy underclothing, ami cotton shirt, cashmere socks, and heavy working- boots. Deceased’s coat was missing. There was an upper and lower false set of teeth in the mouth, one tooth from the former being missing. The corpse was viewed by the magistrate, and an inquest will be held in due course.

According to the Auckland Star several scenes of a comedy nature were witnessed at a tin.' in Takapuna resently. A crowd had assembled for a social evening, and when news was brought that a house occupied by one of them was on fire, all repaired to ilie scene of tho blaze to render every possible aid. The house was well alight when they arrived, but two gentlemen, filled with enthusiasm and, be it told, with not a little “Dutch courage,” decided to venture in and rescue things from tho burning building. They made an entry and dashed forth, a minute later bearing—a gas stove. It’s top was broken, and neither would lake the responsibility for this piece of misfoitune. So with the flames licking their bucks they proceeded to fight over tho Burning question. It was not till they were dragged apart and away from the hot. corner with clothes severely singed, that their ardour cooled. No doubt, as both the gentleman afterwards agreed, it was a littiifg culmination to a glorious even-

The public will (says (ho Press) be surprised to bear that the linancial difficulty in the way of increasing: tlio allowances fco wives of Second Division soldiers beyond 3s a day is not going to stand in the wav of the bonus to the public servants. At all events, Sir Joseph Ward, questioned as to a rumour that, the bonus would not be granted this year, said, “there was 1 nothing in the rumour,” and added that the Government's proposals as to the bonus will come before Parliament shortly. The sum of £400.000. which the bonus absorbed last year, is not ninth short of the sum by which the amount which it is proposed to pay in allowances to soldiers’ dependents would have to be increased if the rates asked by the Second Division were to bo granted. The repetition of the bonus will lead the public to suppose, rightly or wrongly, that the Civil servants are being subsidised at the expense of the soldiers’ wives and children. A financial situation which has rightly led a great majority of members to support the Government’s stand on the question of allowances can surely not permit of the repetition of so unwarrantable a thing as the payment of any bonus at all to the public service. We opposed the bonus last year, and the reasons for opposing it this year arc greater and stronger than ever. It is not too late to ho smartly gowned for the Show. A smart Shantung Silk Costume. perfect, in every detail, can be procured from the C. .M. Ross Co., Ltd. Prices 65.-> 6d, 79s 6d, 84s to 9 guineas.—Advt. Always useful! One of our Thermos and Icy-llot Flasks can be put to till kinds of uses, and will always be found reliable and valuable in the home. Watson Bros., Ltd.—Advt. A sensible precaution in changeable weather is to take “Nazol.” Use the Nazol Inhaler for best results. At all chemists. —Advt.

i „ seated nn unprecedcntThe war has crcatcu . # ReuUjr cd demand * Ol ■/ s q ept embJr 15th) and cable message °>- I possessor ol it « “for priiti-B pofkot v e ° StamCTtVowas somethiiiß moro SabTlSnevena S tea»l. lt >. ~nr all dullest things on Op’« ■ 1 tl,ink BUliop ing- His J^r^ v “'P .i was composed of t,ul 4 ufghiy respected men, the like of most nigmj i nhilitv power, ansi «*!»!” ,T lirf coV»!.£• bc‘found any* “but get them tosctlicr in Gen* wheie, one wis-Ox you were deau. 7 "? m «as«'. "-as that hitherto A i Qvnful spent much time in dis®s„tJrs <■£ sm«n which “erTSow dealt with to the Stand,„ K Committee of General Synod. Lieut H. T. B. Drew, of Palmerston, writes from Flanders: “Then the slow ramp homo. Cocoa or coffee you get at a wavside Y.M.C.A Have, you ever felt tired —utterly tired, m mind and bodv, the strings all loose, five hours without a bite or drink; in peril all the time of your life (though no one adi nits it)? Then you can know what a wholesome bowl of warm, cocoa tastes like - and you can appreciate the feelings' of the men towards the officers 01 the Y.M.C.A., who sit up all night to minister thus to them. It is the most practical Christianity—even though it gives little time for the preparation of sermons.” The Sunday school anniversary services m connection with the. Congregational Church were hold yesterday, but unfortunately the boisterous weather interfered to some extent with the success of the services. Iho morning service w-as taken by the Rev. ]■. W Bovs, who delivered a highly interesting address to parent* and children In tho afternoon Mr H. Gnnstead conducted the service, and spoke on the parable of ho sower. The Rev. A. Doull occupied tho pulpit in the evening. He spoke on Iho Bible,” which, he said, was like a goldmine. A. man mav be poor, and all the tunc in his field he had a mine of wealth, which would be unproductive until it was opened up. Tho Bible was an unproductive mine until it was used in tho same way, and he urged tho people to read the Bible in their homes with their children. Mr Doull repeated the quotation that tho Bilile was the. word of God, and drew many similes showing that while earthly things would finally vanish, God 3 word would stand for ever. The singing throughout tho service, under the baton of Mr Leet, was very creditable, and solos were rendered bv Miss Mavis Smith and Mis s Mona Sampson. Master N. Leet presided at the organ most efficiently, and a.s this vounsr player is but 15 years of age. it is probable that ho is the youngest pipe organist in the Dominion at the present time. The church was nicely decorated for the occasion by Misses Banks- . and Hall. The celebrations' will be continued on Wednesday evening, when the prizes won during the year will be presented.