TOWN V. COUNTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19383, 19 July 1926, Page 6

TOWN V. COUNTRY.

Sir,—-I am sorry " A.F." should retire from this correspondence before expounding his ideas for the removal of farmers' difficulties. When one unlearned in farming sees beautiful green pastures stocked with fine cattle or sheep he can form no idea of the expenditure of work and money that have gone to make so lovely a picture nor of that required to keep it so. And yet he will talk of the " powers of nature moment by moment adding to their value! The powers of nature are on the side of fern, manuka, of blackberry and gorse, of briar and thistle; farming is a fight against nature. And what of the grass grub working busily night and day ? Of the west wind sucking up moisture like a financier's dividends ? Of too little rain or too much ? Then this "community created value." Blessed expression! But what community ? Not any urban community in New Zealand. The nebulous thing is created by the community in the Old Land that buys our produce. Let no one kid himself on the score that he has a finger in that pie, by just standing behind a counter in Queen Street. As to the disgraceful condition of roads in the backblocks, that can be remedied only when the upkeep of roads is charged to the motor traffic which ruins them. Varon.

Sir, —Jast a few lines to conclude my part in this correspondence. Firstly, my object in using rather forcible language, has not been with the intention of insulting anyone. I wrote because I felt that the drift to the towns, and also the increasing influence of our cities, claiming as they do indulgences from the public purse, must cease or at least be drastically curtailed. I put it to you city folk that we have a hard time coming. Money spent in the rural districts is mostly reproductive, while a great deal of the money spent in the cities will be a millstone round our necks for many years to come. The many letters in support and evec those opposed, have admitted this. Farming at the present time is not a payable proposition, and until it again becomes so we will all suffer. We have an acknowledgement of this vn the policy being adopted by the Bank of New Zealand, but I am sorry to say that I do not consider the farmers who are reallv in need of assistance will obtain much help from these kind of institutions. 1 could write much on the deteriorated lands and abandoned farms question. With the many farmers in Parliament our troubles should be better understood. The farmer has generally been spoken of as the backbone of' the country, but I would rather liken him to its heart, while our exports are its lifeblood. My abusive correspondence has, I hope, brought this question more to the fore; that must be my justification. So, with apologies to whom they are due, adieu. Te Puroa.

Sir, —Always diffident about going into print, I have refrained from coming to "A.F.'s" aid, but evidently he has no Auckland backers and "Te Puroa" has several. Although not now in business, I know well the rural mind. Offer the farmer a hat for 30s which you had previously marked £2 and he thinks you must bf> wanting to sell. him an overcoat as well, that there is some catch in it somewhere, and he walks out and buys a hat from' your neighbour for £2 10s. If you had assured him that hats had gone up owing to duty and charged him £2 15s he would have blamed tne Government, not you, and would have bought the hat. My impression of the farmer is that he is the most suspicious and ungrateful being on earth. The more you do for him, the snappier he gets, and calls us profiteers and drones. I don't know who "A.F." is, but I guess he is a sound business man who gives honest value for farmers' money, same as the rest of us did before 4 we retired to enjoy our thrift. Why blame us for high prices ? Would "Te Puroa" ask us to pay the duty without passing it on to him ? What "Te Puroa" should do would be to argue the point re duties with the Minister of Customs, if he knows enough to do so. We business people are not in business for the sake of philanthropy like "Te Puroa," who has voluntarily been in the back blocks for 15 years without a parson, when he might have been in Karangahape Boad, selling hats, boots or buns, with a dozen parsons in attendance. My advice to him is, if be likes farming, to go on farming, but to leave business to business men, and civic squares to those who pay for them. Horacb Wilson.