THE FARMER'S LOT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22751, 11 December 1935, Page 10

THE FARMER'S LOT

TO THE EDITOR

Sir, —The faithful defence of stock firms, Reform Party legislation, etc., by " Countryman " reminds me of that favourite pose of Uriah Heep to his overlords—he was "so 'umble." •' Countryman " persistently misunderstands me. I hove never said that the stock firms alone caused the ruin of the farmers. Such a contention would be absurd. What I have so constantly tried to prove is that, prior to the slump, the stock agents were the most active factor in fomenting land speculation with its attendant evils, because in every manner they profited thereby; but when the crash came they sought every means, possible, and successfully too, to avoid the burdens that they had placed upon the shoulders of so many farmers —burdens that they themselves rightly should have\ borne. Thus have they forfeited any right to the confidence of farmers. The surmise that I have relied on outside information is ironically, but tragically, in error. If " Countryman " can point out anyone who has experienced a greater degree of systematic injusice by a stock firm or harsher treatment by a land mortgagee than that experienced by my family, and myself during the last few years, I should be very interested to meet him. Furthermore, ha vine fought, possibly outstandingly, the struggling farmers' battles in Southland, and always disdaining cover, and scorning intimidation, I have such a reliable fund of information as make me confident to prove my assertions anywhere.

With 40 per cent, of bankrupt farmers, and with another 40 per cent, whose position is dangerous, it is apparent that some genius of statesmanship is required to deal with a problem that is really increasing. Can the assumption that our energetic but parasitical " friends," the stock agents, have been so decisively and effectively dealt with so that only the needy farmer will receive the "direct benefits of remedial # land policies, it will be necessary to review the valuations of the lands of all embarrassed farmers. So long as we hold to the policy that the prices of produce here must reflect the prices ruling overseas, this will be difficult; but, with some stability achieved by an internally controlled standard of prices, this valuation can be arranged on a basis of returns for an average 6f prices over a number of average years. The first step, then, is to revalue all disputed lands at a figure which represents what those lands can produce at a certain price, for their produce. Too much notice must not' be taken of the improvable factors on the land. There has been too much eviction, misery,'and hate engendered because of the commercialisation of this factor by astute salesmen. Any progressive farmer is entiled to the reward due to him for improvement of his property. Briefly these are vital points to be remembered and to adopt:— (1) Legislation absolutely forbidding land speculation, or traffiicking in land; (2) Revaluation of all disputed lands according to their present productive abilities at an agreed scale of prices for all produce; (3) Measures of finance, whereby small or medium farms over a certain period become the absolute possession of their holders; (4) compensation of mortgagees depending for their livelihood on interest derived from mortgaged lands. It appears as if the only method is, where adjustment is required, for the State to become for at least a decade the mortgagee or landlord of all disputed properties. This brings us now to the alternatives of returning to the lease in perpetuity of the Seddon land tenure regime, with a right to purchase, or of restoring and remodelling the State advances to settlers' system and replacing the National Mortgage Corporation thereby; the payments of instalments to repay the whole of the principal over a given number of years, valuation for improvements only to be allowed, when a transfer of property from one holder to another is permitted. The gradual but complete removal of the mortgage system should be the aim, embodying the complete independence therefrom, and the wellbeing of the. tarmac. As the mortgage problems of both stock and land are now so interwoven both problems must be dealt with as one. Again I ask for the co-operation of farmers' leaders with the present Ministers. While farmers wrangle other legislation may be passed, and the opportunity may be lost. Our late Farmers' Government did nothing for the needy farmer. What will the Labour Party do?—I am, etc., J. B. BIRTLES. Green Island, December 9.