SHOULD FARMERS LIVE?

Southland Times, Issue 21656, 18 March 1932, Page 3

SHOULD FARMERS LIVE?

To the Editor.

Sir, —I notice in your account of a case, under the Mortgagors’ Relief Act, that a farmer claimed the right to live. The court was puzzled that a farmer should make such a preposterous claim, and no wonder! Fancy a farmer claiming the right to live!! Why he lost the right years ago and it is a debatable point to-day .whether he has even the right to exist. Oliver Twist’s request for more was mild in comparison with this man’s and I think the suggestion that bread, tea and sugar are about all he requires in the country is quite a reasonable one. I always have considered the dungaree suit worn by most farmers a needless extravagance and suggest that they wear loincloths as the Hindus do. Such attire would also make them realize still more the gulf that exists between them and the rest of the community. As for the suggestion about knocking rabbits over with a stick—it is a brilliant one, only one would need to catch and tame them first. —I am, etc., W. J. BOYD. To the Editor. Sir, —Again, I feel the desire to chirp, this time in defence of some foolish farmer who dared to say in public “we must live.” I feel it might please some of our more unsympathetic townspeople if we said instead “we are better dead” (which, of course, lots of us would be). However, to return to the remarks of a man who is supposed to uphold justice I am alarmed at their injustice, “everything we want practically is grown on our premises.” Ah well, we have sheep, which we probably have mortgaged a couple of years ago at a value of say 30/- or 35/-, we have paid 7 per cent, or 8 per cent, on these values, they are now worth 8/- to 10/- (the mortgage remains, at the best, at the original value). We have our milk and butter —free—maybe, yes, more likely no. The cow cost us £lO and is likewise mortgaged, also all the feed she eats, likewise Denis.

I am tired of hearing of our free farm life and I think a little more understanding and sympathy is needed between the “prisoner” of the town and the free man of the country; the latter is after all the most down-trodden serf of many centuries. This talk of what we want and what we get annoys hard-working thrifty folk. We are told we only want bread, tea, and sugar. Yes, yes, and I suppose it is suggested we make a paste of flour and water to cover our bodies, our feet are almost safe, as at a recent meeting of our W.D.F.U. we were shown how to convert worn out old Strawberry into quite nice leather. That is one other thing we have learned from not merely the “backbone” of the country, but, the “heart and soul” which is his wife. A young man of this town was once entertaining the writer to lunch and asked casually “And how are things on the farm?” The writer not being a grumbler by nature said “Awful,” only to be met with "Oh! You country people aren't happy unless you have something to complain about, a bit of a set back will do you all good.” That young man’s father had never known the meaning of the word “struggle” and had been able to place his son in a very good Government position and' so there is general ignorance all round of what we are all suffering. I wonder if it is generally thought we enjoy not being able to pay our interest? I can assure you, sir, this is not the case. We as a body have all loved the only freedom we ever knew, and that was the freedom of “independence.” As for living on rabbits etc., these pretty little things are all right, as a change from mutton and would no doubt provide a best coat as a change from a sheepskin; but, some years ago, while preparing one for the table, I received a regular shower bath from some disease of, I suppose of a hydatical nature, and I don’t ask my family to partake of Bunny Pie nowadays. Perhaps if I had there w'ould have been —one less. I am, etc., “CRICKET ON THE HEARTH.”