MR. BRECHINS OUTBURST.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13641, 27 August 1937, Page 4

MR. BRECHINS OUTBURST.

FARMERS AND GUARANTEED PRICES. (Correspondence is welcomed on interesting subjects, but we do not necessarily endorse the opinions of correspondents) (To the Editor). Sir,—l have read. Mr J. G. Brechin’s hysterical outburst against the Goverament in your issue of August 17 and although some time has elapsed and Mr Brechin may have cooled down, I would like to make a few remarks thereon. It would be impossible to traverse all the statements, but I would just like to refute the suggestion that all dairyfarmers consider themselves to have been hardly treated by the Labour Governmeiffc. As a farmer myself. I say straight out that 1 am satisfied and that Mr Brechin has no shadow of right to speak for me or for the thousands of other farmers who for the first time find themselves in a position of some security. The local factory has paid out nearly Is d lb butter-fat and 1 have heard farmers moan “If we could even be sure of Is per lb we would be set.” Admittedly the London price is a little higher at present but did Mr Brechin know that it would be so ? If he did why didn’t he say so beforehand. Farmers are no more slaves than any other section of the community and are certainly no more so under Labour than under any other Government. The regulations and restrictions which Mr Brechin makes such a fuss over are necessary and reasonable. In any case does Mr Brechin think that the various Departments should take the farmer's word as to his returns and yet investigate those of business men ? The homes have not been invaded. It is only the office of the farm to which inspectors have right of entry and if the farmer makes his kitchen his office, then he must expect it to be open to inspectors just as a grocer’s office is. The statement that the fanners have lost millions of pounds is piffle, and if I know Mr Brechin he would be one of the first to castigate the Government for costing the general taxpayer’s money if the London price had been less than the guaranteed price. In conclusion, let me again definitely teil Mr Brechin that the farmer such as myself and thousands of others are doing well and that he should not let his political bias influence his remarks. After all lie says himself that ho is a union secretary by compulsion and a farmer by choice. Let me say that no influence I know can make him anything he doesn't want to he, and that his choice would go a little higher than a farmer if he could get the job.—l am. etc., “NOT A LABOURITE.”