LABOUR’S AGRICULTURE POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26289, 22 October 1946, Page 9

LABOUR’S AGRICULTURE POLICY

Sir, —The future policy of the Labour Party towards the farming industry as announced by the Prime Minister at Whangarei, sounds very good. It is proposed to bring about increased production in ail classes oi farm produce; to develop waste lands by irrigation, drainage, etc.; to settle more people on the land, and supply an adequate labour force; to improve farming practices and improve living conditions in the country generally. There is no indication, however, as to how all this is to be put into effect. Until some practical proposals are put forward farmers will regard the Prime Ministers statement as nothing more than insincere vote-catching propaganda. The policy of the Labour Government during the past ten years has been the very opposite of that now advocated. It has reduced production particularly in regard to dairying grain, and fruit; it has forcea landholders into bad farming practices, and so brought about erosion and reversion to swamp and noxious weeds; it has driven people off the land; it has imposed unjust class taxes on farmers, reduced their Parliamentary .representation, and curtailed services and country amenities to a considerable degree. Not only are farmers victimised, but —because New Zealand’s standard of living is dependent on farm production—the whole nation is the worse off If the Labour Party is sincerely intent on increasing farm production why has a better effort not been made during the present year, when there is such a desperate need for food in other parts of the world. The Governm.nt certainly has expr.ssed a desire for increased food production and has even gone to the length of naming production figures which 't hopes will be attained, but no practical help white vet has been offered to producers Such an attitude on the part of a Government b trays utter incompetence or cynical indifference. If the futuredevelopment of agriculture is planned an the same lines it is doomed to failure. The only way to treat these " exploiters of mankind ” is to vote them into oblivion.—l am, etc., -J. S. Elliot. Middlemarch. October 20.