THE COUNTRY QUEEN.

Southland Times, Issue 17485, 28 July 1915, Page 2

THE COUNTRY QUEEN.

To the Editor. Sir, —1 sometimes wonder if our farmers realise what this Carnival Queen contest between town and country is leading up to. We are to queens —one town and one country. The town committees have thoroughly organised their territory and have their members selling tickets far and wide. There are railway guards selling Railway and Shipping tickets to those farmers who come to town by trains, retailers members everywhere selling their tickets. Besides those above mentioned nearly every farmer has a territorial either in the family or in his employ who is working hard for his princess. What I would like to point out to those farmers who have not considered the matter very closely is that every ticket they buy for any other princess counts against the Country Queen. There is a great outcry among some sections of the community that the extra war tax should be all on the land, and if the Town Queen is returned at the head of the poll, these same people, who consider each farm a small gold mine, will turn round and say: "The farmers won’t contribute willingly. Tax them.” Now, if the farmers or any others don’t contribute their fair quota. X say with the others, "Tax them,” but if the farmers contribute to opposition princesses as well as to their own queen they will not get credit for what they do. My advice is : "Farmers organise work for your own queen and don’t buy an opposition ticket unless they take one of yours. Further, if any of you have conscientious scruples about art unions and would fain use that as an excuse for buttoning up your pockets, remember that we will accept contributions without giving lottery tickets, and it is all for a grand cause."—-I am, etc., J. GRAHAM. July 27.