THE ALIEN QUESTION

Te Aroha News, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5502, 20 June 1917, Page 2

THE ALIEN QUESTION

(To the Editor) Sir:— l must beg space from you to reply to “ Farmer ” (?) who so kindly states that my former letter was written to “ get back ” on Mr Morisoa. 1 can assure “ Farmer " that I am quite above such petty practices, also that 1 am perfectly aware of the good points in Mr Morison’s character. T merely wished to point out that a number of worthy citizens including Mr Morison were endeavouring to deal with a matter which was outside their jurisdiction and apparently it is outside the scope of some other person's intelligence. “Farmer” states that “these men” (does he mean the members of the Dramage Boards, or who ?) are usiug every legitimate moaus to make their lauds worth £3O to £4O per aero. Certainly why shouldn't they ? If they are only using legitimate means they are doing no wrong. T fail to see the logic of “ Farmei’s uext few words as to who is to pay for it all, or, that it matters not who does the work or at what cost. He seems to infer that I do not pay any of tho money which is earned by the said Aliens, which is a sad mistake on “ Farmer's ” part. I do pay. That is what makes me so interested. My bit of laud sadly needs drainage, and until I can effectually drain it, I receive no return. No, sir, I have no sous fighting in this war (my family is only in the toddling stage) neither should I take credit personally, if 1 had. They would bo fighting of their own free will. What has this question to do with tho “ Farmer," or with the matter at issue ? Surely he is not se illogical as to confine my patriotism j or that of my family with the drainage question. ‘ Farmer ” says that our hoys returning home wilt be compelled to work to pay tho interest; jon drainage works. That doesn't say i much for Um way bo iutonds to treat them when ihej return. Apart from this, however, if a man purchases laud he knows what rates ho has to pay, and ho should know that ho will still be receiving benefit. Perhaps “ Farmer ” has lost sight of this point. 1 can assure “ Farmer that tho money would be paid out with as free a baud to our own boys as to the alious if the former were here, but they ate uot. Surely it would bo like the dog iu the manger to keep all the drainiug until our boys came home. It would also be ridiculous for they will have had au elegant sufficiency of moving Mother Earth when they return When I said that the men who pay the bills are satisfied, I thought 1 knew. I was baekod up by the knowledge that close upon £15,000 was raised in this district during tho last year with the full consent of a large majority of the men who were williug to pay for the benefits which they knew they would receive. Two new Drainage Boauls in the Thames Valley have commeuccd active onerai ions ” since the war started aud I sun-1 v Farmer ” would not have us 1 j,,.; ,y, that the settlers in these

..ileus wore averse to the formation |ofl he Boards. There are always a I tow who are against anything which they do not have a leading part in ; there are others —but there, “ The dignity of truth —eto., Again, “ the only niou satisfied are the drainage board members and their associates. 1 ’ Now,,Mr Editor 1 wonder what tho ‘‘ members ” will say to this. I know quite a lot of them who are very happy, supremely happy to sit on the Drainage Boards, to be pestered by Tom, Dick aud Harry with requests that their particular drain should be cleaned out; aud to receive many other advantages accruing from their enviable positions. I agree that Mr Morison may know more about tho minds of the farmers than any man in Te Aroha. But, as 1 poiuted out in my first letter, wo don’t require the opinion of the Te Aroha busiuess men ou this question Thoy are not all familiar with the actual facts. The farmers who have been enlightening Mr Morison have either very little swamp laud, or they do not know what is good for them, and in any case they might act for themselves with a little more frequency. If “ Farmer ’’ objects to these draiu contractors being paid so highly and “ our boys ’’ so poorly paid,

why doesn’t he endeavour to get more pay for the Soldiers Y Surely it were a better theme for his worthy pen. And if Farmer ’’ or auy of his associates are still of the bcliof that draiuage works can be shelved, let them take a trip up the Iluugahuuga Swamp, down through Elstow to the Otway Sottlemout or as far as Lower Waitoa, and let them get off the roads ud go through some of the back paddocks (if they stay long enough ahoy will get Rheumatism) and if thoy are still unconvinced of the immediate necessity for draiuage, then it wouldu’t be worth while to try to alter their opinions. 1 wonder if “ Farmer ’’ knows many of the “ Aliens ” aud what their nationality is Y Jt might be worth while for him to investigate.—l am, etc., Scmm-un Bonu.m