TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Northern Advocate, 4 June 1924, Page 7

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

> WAGES MUST HAVE RELATION TO EXPORTS. A FARMER'S VIEWS. 5 "We in New Zealand," no.id Mr W. B. Matheson, pre?ident of the Waira- ' rapa Provincial District of the New • j Zealand Farmers' Union, in the course 1 of an address at the provincial confer- ' enee at Feilding iast week, "are only just learning the value of farm schools, and how to make the best use of them. "Farming probably touches more ' sciences than any other occupation. Our Agricultural Department has a number of men oxmwt in those .sciences which apply to the handling o t' i; V e ' stock and crops, :nu] fanners, voiinn- ' or old, who niarKu.o to spend a week with such men, li-iening and fjur:stinniny, at a farm school, crime nnav with knowledge ti'.'it is a gmit ]]«l?) fi niake the best use of their labour and capital. We have had such a srhool in fii C Vv';:i"i'.j'ajjri t]iis year, am<l our ,p.iion % wiih Mie liclp of tlie A"7-iv'iKunil J)-'jv.rt.-ment, also established a mimbov of her,!-te«tini>- centres, whlcl' liav» ic-en s!!.-".-es,-.fu]. The-e : ■ v,', ov,,^[\r- n r n:l f a is i.M>ing (o •■■::: c 1 !:<- uiilkino - 0;' sc'ir'.'s of cows wliich iTi the. past have liccii labour in vain. T/iat wonl labour moves me to sj'.ea!; oT i ! " as :■ politic;:, i'o-co. : Our mm (to as a ii'i'' , :; he:; ]>een prinj i-jple, not pa.Jty. r= :nl ! hope we sliall I liol<l on io it. Jio I sliali say nut Vii:; !of the Labour .Pasty. li\it there :\rr J few idle rich in New Zealand; we are , most of u>; worker-;, tho farmer ( .! tl>: r-k ] ■; ;icr w •.■)•■■: 17i ; .n i'no. ; average citizen. And in i.i.-. I [lo <)r;;-anise am! '.■■:•': :• i';ur i'or ! i his la.bonr, he wislies :;11 otr.er workers ■ jto !.v(>t cf;;::-.lly \'u\<- r.ay. I!ut whry a j slump comes, and his \va'-;es are halve!, ! a.-; happened lately, and he .-ces ■"ivil , j ser \ ;\r.f< '.■•.hose ■•■ihirics lie i< taxed to ' pay, roceiv(> :■■[]}} their lOl) u { '.v re'it. Vo i is D'i-'z'cM. And n;v own ceneb'sion is ' J \-)'V j ii the 'cost of liA-in"; , is 7:0 sound ! 1 1... .:.. .c i •,. .7 , •

j basis fVr ber-auso if tho value '• j <iv en if export ft ,1 :! 50 per ivnt faru! ! ( we cannot control it) and New Zealai'd was unable to borrow, there would not be sufficient here to keep • us all living at our present stand- ■ ard. Ro I believe the only method by which wages can be fairly fixed j by any court must have some re:a- ' tion to the value of our exports for. the year. The statesman who can pro- ' duce a workable scheme on those lines will be a great benefactor, be- j cause it would bring it home to us j all how dependent we are on one , another; and it would create a bond of sympathy between town and country. Tho most dangerous thing for our happiness and our pockets is to allow any growth of enmity between capital and labour, between town and country. We farmers are most of us both capitalists and. labourers, and so are likely to do justice to both. Let us see to it, that in the matter of town and country we endeavour to find the fairest possibls '. way to ehare between thfe two the products of our labour. We have lately learnt something of .the horrors and folly of war.. To quarrel with our neighbours is equally foolish. So that aa important as the sciences are to help us make New Zealand more productive, we have a still more important duty as responsible citizens of a great Empire. I mean to study the science of statecraft so that ws may live in harmony at home and abroad. I believe that is the wish of all members of our union, and 1 trust we shall always be ready to ! give way in our personal desires if I it is for the general good." :