MR McDOUGALL AND MONTE CRISTO SETTLEMENT

Southland Times, Issue 23634, 8 October 1938, Page 18

MR McDOUGALL AND MONTE CRISTO SETTLEMENT

To The Editor

Sir, —Mr D. McDougall, senior, when speaking of Monte Cristo in his political address at Gore stated, “This is a place I know all about; my sons were in it. It was bought from a gambler,’’ and so on. Then further on he said very emphatically, “no rent has been paid and they still get no rent.” Mr D. McDougall, junior, in his letter denies that statement but there are dozens of listeners around all of whom heard the broadcast and will testify to same. Mr McDougall jun., admits that he had little farm knowledge. Perhaps that explains everything—why his crops were a failure and why he left his farm. Last year turnips sold at an average of £l3 15/- an acre. The next occupier farmed with a wheel-barrow and spade, so no wonder he walked off. Mr McDougall referred to the guaranteed price. That does not affect me, but I can remember butterfat being 1/9 per lb and overhead costs about half what they are now in Mr McDougall’s farming days. Mr McDougall has been misinformed in what he says about contracting.—Yours, etc., w. McKenzie. October 7, 1938.

To The Editor Sir, —Mr McDougall, jun., could not have been very interested in the senior Mr McDougall’s criticism of Monte Cristo when he makes the statement that Mr McDougall, sen., did not try to convey to listeners that the settlers at present in occupation were not paying their rent. The statement we took exception to when he was criticizing the losses made by the Government

was, “They still get no rent” —a statement that is absolutely false. Mr McDougall, jun., admits he did not have a great deal of farm knowledge which, I think, was the main factor in his being unsuccessful. As we all know, we have to pay for our . experience and evidently he paid for his in Monte Cristo. Then he mentions the Hazlett Brothers. J. B. Hazlett purchased 145 acres adjoining Monte Cristo and with his knowledge of hard work and his perseverance he sold out for £25 an acre. That farm is considered equal to any farm in the district and when it was taken over by Mr Hazlett it was in a worse condition than Monte Cristo. He mentions his unsuccessful attempt at growing turnips, but any practical farmer knows you can have a failure on quite good land with clubroot. There have been quite good crops on that part of the settlement since, in fact I have not seen a failure. He mentions another tenant, but it would be difficult for a man of his years to make a success of the land considering the condition it had been left in with ditches and fences in a very bad state and. practically all the grass run out. The section was later taken up by a Mr Anderssen, who did not live on it. His brother, who had a place in the district, grazed it for a number of years. You will see that through neglect the properties were deteriorating in value all the time. Mr S. McDougall sold out his section, so that was one that was not abandoned. . Mr McDougall’s comments on the losses incurred in rent make one wonder hbw much had been paid in rent while the sections were occupied. Then he - mentions that they- had no guaranteed price for dairy produce, but we never got 2/b per lb butterfat. They got market value for all their dairy produce and were not reading about a large surplus in the Dairy Industry Account. Any surplus went to the dajry farmer himself. Then he finishes by saying he walked off, but to my knowledge both he and Mr S. McDougall motored off.— Yours, etc., ' R October 7, 1938.