PRICE OF FARM PRODUCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10418, 16 April 1897, Page 3

PRICE OF FARM PRODUCE.

THE POSITION OF THE SMALL FARMER. At the meeting of settlers, held recently at the Metropolitan Hotel, to consider how to improve the low prices now obtained for agricultural produce, Mr. T. J. Lockwood, Hnnua, read a paper on the subject. After a preliminary introduction, Mr. Lockwood said :— POSITION OF THE SMALL FARMER. There is no doubt that, at tho present time, the small farmers are the worst paid men in the country in proportion to their work, capital, expenses, and responsibilities. 1 was speaking to one farmer, whose case is not the only one of the kind. He told me he is worse off now than ever he was in the old country, where he was earning 25s per week, and he is forced to practise stricter economy than ever he did at home, besides paying rent and having a far better supply of clothing than he can afford now out of his farm, which is paid for. He has spent all his earnings, and his eons hare helped him, like real good fellows, to get n good house and clear the greater portion of his farm. Another one, whom I know quite well— a real good practical farmer with first-class 'land— this year had to turn out to earn money to bring his family up as well as he can. Another one is told by his wife that before she came out here she earned asmuch money per week as both he and she are earning at the present time. It is useless to relate more instances of hard times. I would ask those who have any doubts about the existence of hard times with the farmers just i" watch the Land Boards of the colony. Q.iite recently the settlers on Government land in Wellington alone were £9000 in arrears. These men get their land under very favourable terms, yet they cannot meet their rent day. This goes for one more strong argument with the many that farming is not qui to so remunerative as many imagine; therefore, it is high time that farmers were up and doing someting to help themselves to at least a fair share of the comforts and blessings of our supposed civilisation. THE PRICE OF BUTTER. In following the papers, and looking round and comparing the prices of farmers' produce, one is apt, putting it mildly, to get annoyed. I will just take the besti known farmers' produce— butter. This summer it has been selling at 6d per lb mostly for good butter, If it pays for the farmer to make it at 6d, what must have been the profits made by the Dairy Association with their improved machinery? They have only been giving 3d per gallon for milk, and it only takes 2J gallons to make lib of butter, which' would cause the butter to cost them 7Jd per lb. With their improved method they should make a larger percentage, leaving 4id clear for working and selling. Where does the profit go ? To the milk supplier ? I trow not. It is high time that suppliers of milk to factories, and those outside the reach of creameries, should join hands to do something for the general good. CHAFF AND BEEF. Then, again, we have chaff. I have seen it quoted as low as 30s per ton. Admitting it was not quite up to the mark, it is more than likely that if the farmer took his horse for a feed to the same stables to ' which the chaff was sold, he would have to pay the usual prise. The buyers of chaff could well afford to give a regular price for it, because they make their calculations on afe lines ; they don't charge any lower for horse hire when they get feed for less. We have also 'butchor:' meat. In this article we always have 2s per cwt difference in ox and cow beef. I have not yet been able to find anyone that knew the difference in prices charged retail. The difference between the butcher's buying and selling is very great. If you compare prices in the market quotations, you will see that the butcher's wholesale price is nearly twice as much as the farmer gets ; retail a little over. Nor is there a single production of the farm that is treated with the equity it should; nor shall we get equity unless we look after ourselves by combining for one object. COMBINATION. ' The first part of the object for which we must combine is to find the cause of the depression, then the remedy, if any. The cause is over-production, and no way of getting rid of our surplus produce. As a country, we are at the present time increasing our produce far faster than we are making a market. Though I have always been under the impression that I was a thorough Liberal, I am inclined to think that, had we had a little more ballast of late, things would not be quite so bad with the small farmers. The cry has been of late years, "Get on the land, my boys; get on the land," until a great number of settlers have been put on the land, and have already entered into the field of competition with the old settlers, who were hard enough pressed at the best of times to make any advance. But the worst feature of this is that a groat number of new settlers who aro to compete with the old in the overstocked market are being helped by the Government, and really start on the same lines as tho capitalist—that is, they are paid a good price for falling their bush, and can get large quantities down, while the genuine settler, with a stake in the country, has to be content with falling a few acres each year, making progress very slowly. Again, the Government settler has bis grass seed found for him, delivered on his ground, and sown for him, or he is paid for sowing it. He is also allowed a good percentage towards building bis house, j while the old settler has to buy his own seed, cart or pack it, bow it himself, also build his own whare or slab-house. Then, again, to help.the new settlers, the Government give them work on roads within a large radius of their farms; also give them a guarantee of so many days' work per week, and the preference of work, while the old style of settler has to struggle on the best way he can. Most people will readily admit that this is unfair competition, and it is about time that the original country settler made some noise and tried to get equity from the Government. To get equity we want the same right to any work as the new settler—the same right to the same purse an the new-—the same right to good roads. In their districts the roads the Government are now making are a credit to any country, while the roads a great number of old settlers have to travel on are a disgrace to any district or Government. I think that as the Government have been so liberal with these people, helping them to pnduce goods for an overstocked market, they should at least help to get a market for the goods produced. COMMERCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL CLASSES. Another reason why the small farmer is not doing better is that at 'the present time in New Zealand, we hare too many men of the commercial and professional classes ever ready to help themselves to a share of the plunder. If you want proof of this, just take a glimpse into all the shops in Auckland, and you will find any number of persons behind the counters waiting for customers to come along; and it would, do doubt, make a very interesting sum for anyone to work out—the price that it costs our small public to have their goods handed from the producer to the consumer. We have at the present time a little over 28 per cent, of the population engaged in original production, while close on 19 per cent, are engaged in commercial and professional pursuits. Just to point out what our present commercial system costs us I . will make a little calculation that any fifth standard boy could work out. Take the chief product of the small farmers—butter. If a business man takes £1 and spends it on this commodity, as the present market goes, he will get 481b of that article from the farmer, which he will sell for £1 Bs. Now multiply 8s by 52, and you have £20 16s, a clear profit— per cent, per annum ; not a bad percentage, and leaves plenty of room for reflection to both producer and consumer. You will begin to think we hare had enough on this line, as you know perfectly well that prices are low, and trade is simply demoralised from an equitable point of view. It would be as well to see if there is any likelihood of any of the causes disappearing. Nob in the near future does there appear to be any chance of them improving.

, ~ raioNissr. The commercial classes are well able to look after themselves. They have combination helping them to keep together like the proverbial bundle of sticks. Look at almost any trade or business except farmers, and you will find they have'some society, or union. . We hare lawyers' societies, teachers'

institute, tailors' unions, miners' unions, seamen's unions, etc. These unions are no doubt beneficial to the trades they represent. But what about the majority that are outside the paternal care of unionism ! They must go on to the land, or be satisfied with any casual work outside their trade that they can catch. The Court of Arbitration, held recently in connection with the Union Company and Seamen's Union, gave their unbiassed, unprejudiced, and impartial decision in favour of the Union Company employing union men. No matter how good a tradesman, if he does not believe in unionism he must go elsewhere and find work where everyone has the same chance as others. The only place where he can find it is on the land ; and therefore, sooner or later, all that aro not unionists, or believers of combination, must go on to the land and become producers. Some people might, be inclined to say there is no reason in trying to make people believe that all non-unionists must go on to the land. All steady trades are fast becoming unionists; and when a union is started there is no turning back. They must have all the work, and no man dare to come near who is not a unionist, and the brunch of work they represent must be kept sacred for them, while those outside their ranks—the majority— do as they can. The farming community aro included in the majority, and unless farmers combine for their own good, they will very soon have to produce only what they require, for those outside unionism will not be able to buy the common farmer's produce, but must go to the capitalist or the middleman for what lie requires. Unionism is at the present time a strong power. If unionists would' devote their energy and time to bring producer and consumer together, they would do away with one of the causes of so much injustice. Bub as the mountain won't come to Mahomet, Mahomet must come to the mountain. We must approach the unionists, and try to get them to work hand in hand with us for the well-being of our fellow-creatures. I should be very sorry to see selfishness brought into this business, because it always injures others; and I have yet to learn that we have any right to accumulate riches or impose hardships on other individuals for our special advantage. Whether we can find means to relieve the farmers of their present overstocked market and low prices it is very hard to judge, but we can try, and though our first attempt may not be the success we hoped, we must be like the spider Bruce watched—try again and again, and success is certain in the end. In some way we must join hands with the unionists and all the consumers for the common good of the country in which we dwell. The only way by which that is likely to be brought about is by

CO-OPERTTIOX. I don'b mean by co-operation limited liabilities or joint-stockism, bub I mean the great co-operative movement! in the old , country. The Rochdale Equitable Pioneers opened their first store with £20 of this world's goods. They carried their business , on safe trade principles, and were hampered in the movement and ridiculed by business men, but they managed to fight the battle before them, and now co-operation is acknowledged a success by all who understand it thoroughly. Some of the rules of co- , operation are: That human society is a body consisting of many members, not warring atoms ; that workmen must be fellow-workmen, and not rivals; and that! a principle of justice, not selfishness, must govern exchanges. It would take too long to give the history and success of co-opera-tion. I mentioned tbey started in Rochdale with £20; to-day its business has grown to an enormous size. They have 1500 retail shops doing a business of £34,000,000 annually. They acknowledge capita! is required, and deal in equity with it as well as themselves. They pay 4J to 5 per cent, on capital invested with them. The profits are divided amonpst purchasers and shareholders. A non-shareholder can become a member by leaving his dividend in the store. After his first shilling is paid he is interested in the welfare of the store and can vote with the other shareholders. After paying interest, wages, depreciations, etc., the total cost on the turnover is less than 5 per cent. The cost of the whole (Jo-operative Society is 4d in the £, a little over 1J per cent, on the turn- : over. The leaders of the co-operative moveI ment have been making efforts to get the producer to work hand in hand with them, and have approached the farmers in the old country. At first, the farmers were very wary, and did not care to join them, but now they have made a start. The farmers are asking them to help them to put up creameries, etc. In New Zealand we have not heard much of the co-operative delegates who were travelling through the colonies some time ago. As a result of their visit it has been decided to spend £500 in Victoria and New South Wales to educate the principle of co-operation. Tbey have also decided to open a store in one of the colonies. Now Zealand is so far left to shift for herself with the exception of one or two small stores that are, Ibelieve, working under the co-operative rules. We are here to discuss the subject, or any proposal brought forward. My own opinion is that we should form a committee to wait on the Trades and Labour Council, or any other body, that won Id be likely to help in bringing the producer and consumer nearer together; also, to wait on the Government with a view of getting material help. We have a strong claim on our Government. There is no doubt that the present Government hare spent a lot of money in relieving the overstocked labour market. They have also gone security for the capitalist to» large amount. We could manage to get along far better if they would be as liberal to the small farmers, and find us a market for our produce. The committee should also write to the secretary of the Wholesale Society, London, asking for rules and information with the intention of joining. Though our first effort may not be as successful as all oould wish, we would hare the satisfaction of knowing that we hare at least tried to carry out the golden rule of doing as we would like being done by.