THE FARMER'S WIFE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23112, 10 August 1938, Page 17

THE FARMER'S WIFE

Sir, —It is surprising how the members of the Government crack themselves up. They maintain that production is what we all want to aim at, as there would be no use printing money unless we had produce to back it up, etc. While saying this they are doing their host to squash the very man who is doing his best to keep up production. Take mv own case. I had to sell 20 cows at the beginning of last season. M.v wife used to help me with them, but she was and is away sick, and I could not afford to pay the award rate of wages. As these cows would have done, say, £250 for the year, any man with half an eye can see there would not be much left for me by the time manures and other expenses were paid. My man would walk off with the surplus and a month's holiday on full pay and board. There is no doubt it is the farmers' wives who are saving the situation. Like the farmers themselves, they do a lot of work for nothing. No farmer can manage under the guaranteed price and the high cost of everything unless he has 60 cows. Unfortunate.