FARMERS FACE RUIN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17231, 10 April 1930, Page 3

FARMERS FACE RUIN

IMPASSIONED APPEAL SPEECH BY EARL OF AIRLIE LONDON, Feb. 19. The disaster which threatens agriculture was the theme of an impassioned speech- by tho Earl of Andie in the House of Lords last night, when he supported a demand from the Earl of Liverpool that the Socialist, Conservative, and Liberal Parties should form a committee to see what can be done to save the industry from the ruinous dumping of foreign produce. Ixrni Ail lio spoke of the terrible situation, particularly in the north ot Scotland, and made‘a deep impression on the House. One. of his statements was that ICO ploughmen recently' went into Angus and enlisted in the army because there was no livelihood on their farms. His whole speech was a demand for protective measures against foreign imports. FACING THE PACTS. “I wonder,” he said, “it the country in general knows how bad Hie agricultural situation is, and I sometimes wonder whether tho country cares. It is necessary for us to face facts. “Trade is depressed, unemployment is increasing, the cost of living js rising, cultivation of the land is decreasing by SO per cent., land is going down to grass, farmhouses are being sold, and men are being thrown out of work. “Only the other day a hundred ploughmen from my neighborhood went into Angus and enlisted, and all the time.” be went oil. bis voice rising to an intensity which is rarely heard in the House of Ijords, “the foreigner is dumping his grain and potatoes into this country subsidised by Tils Government. Then our Government say they can do nothing. GOVERNMENT REI’LY. > Earl Do La Wnrr, in his reply for the Government, said : “There is a nonpolitical body sitting to consider remedies for the agricultural situation, a conference compose/! of landowners, farmers, and workers, with the Minister of Agriculture himself presiding. IF the conference comes to agreed conclusions the next step will bo for the Minister to consider the next step to lie taken. “While not bolding out any hope, that tho Minister lias made up his mind what action to take after the conference has reported, it does seem that a conference of tho political parties might be more possible now than it lias been. The debate ended with Lord Stanhope protesting that it is three months since Mr. Buxton promised to make an early announcement of His policy.