POLITICAL VAGARIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22369, 17 September 1934, Page 5

POLITICAL VAGARIES

TO THE EDITOK Sir, —The intelligence shown from time to time by members of Parliament is amusing. After reading some, of their statements in the House and on public platforms one wonders how they were ever elected to represent an intelligent people. Are they the best the country can produce? In the parliamentary news in your issue of September 14, Mr J. A. Macphersou (Oamaru) is reported to have stated that bran and pollard were more important than the whole of the flour industry. Have you ever heard of a fuuuier statement? The dairy and pig industry are dependent on bran and pollard, but how can the country raise pigs and cows if there is no flour to sustain the farmer or the workmen who are responsible for raising them? Then, in another column we read about the Australian fruit embargo and wonder why preference is given to the American Sunkist orange—oranges which the Australian would call " windfalls," which are usually given away as pig food. Is this embargo imposed to protect the New Zealand citrus fruitgrower who has proved that he cannot grow enough to supply the New Zealand market, while what is produced in New Zealand is inferior in quality and flavour? Arc, we' going to protect the local growers so that the New Zealand market will always be im-

poverished? If. sq it will mean that we shall double the price of the Australian orange for "an orange that is without the tropical flavour. Having lived in Australia a number of years I can vouch for the authenticity of statements made by other writers on the subject and have often wondered why it is that New Zealand docs not deal wholly and solely with her sister country, where quality, flavour and prices are incomparable with .those of the oranges from any foreign country. —I am, etc., K. E. : Balclutha, September 14.