NON-PRODUCERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18566, 26 November 1923, Page 6

NON-PRODUCERS.

Sir, Mr. H. W. Hudson's concise summary of the above great question, supported by figures comparing the position in Britain and New Zealand respectively, is worthy of the most serious consideration by everv loyal New Zealandcr. Some time ago a farmer put the question before me, roughly, as follows : "There are 80,000 producers in the Dominion : What are the other million odd doing?" And, said he, " of these 80,000 producers probably 90 per cent, axe insolvent, if called upon to •ay up.'* In a parallel column of the Herald the question is asked, " What can be done to arrest the drift to towns?" In a column further on the answer is sug gested: "A Missing Witness: At the iiaces"for the time-being a -producer. Remedy—do not enhance, but rather diminish facilities for this phase of the gambling mania. Monuments of Municipal munificence at ratepayers' ex pense, and for the benefit of a few will not pay if they allure the yeomen farmers to the city and leave deserted farms. History tells us that the old Roman military settlers- drifted to the towns and ultimately sank to the lev.' of the lazaroni, while the patricians aggregated their lands. Beware lest our deserted lands become alien possessions through peaceful penetration, and when again wo need them we find ourselves and our sons excluded. Producer.