THE FARMING WORLD AND ITS PROBLEMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22904, 11 June 1936, Page 10

THE FARMING WORLD AND ITS PROBLEMS

TO THE EDITOR

£hn, —The advocacy of (he Government financing cottages for married tarin workers on the same principle as is being adopted for city workers offers no solution of the problem of farm labour shortage. Farming is conducted on lines to-day that would ruin any other industry, and until the agricultural and pastoral industries learn, to stand on their own feet without the amount of Government spoonfeeding and pampering that they are receiving to-day. every scheme for providing more Government money for them simply means so much more taxation for (he country to hear. The average tanner refuses to employ married men except at seasonal and casual work,, and will not pay anything like a wage sufficient to support a wife, much less a family, on. To expect a couple to work (both husband and wife) at £2 per week and found, as an acquaintance of mine did. and then c£ct inarching orders because anothci couple would work for 30s per week and found, is no way to encourage young fellows to marry and to remain in the country When "the Government under the 4a scheme attempted to help Hie farmers with cheap labour paid out of the Unemployment Fund, what happened.' the abuse of the scheme reached such piopottions that it had lo bo abolished. What

is to prevent a similar situation from arising if Government money is spent on cottages for farm labourers?-—! am. etc., Cane Caxem.

Other Letters to the Editor appear on page 7.