THAT 15 PER CENT

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 66, Issue 5597, 26 March 1943, Page 3

THAT 15 PER CENT

Sir, —I expected a few replies to my letter concerning the 15 per cent cent bonus, but really I did not expect the caps to fit so tight. In fact, I think they pinch a bit. Now to reply to your correspondent, “N.Z.” Perhaps I may know more about farmers’ incomes than he does. He made a*wild guess when he says that returned men formed the bulk of the farmers. Approximately—--1914-18 —105,000 members of the forces left New Zealand; 17,000 failed to return; 20,000 have since passed to the Great Beyond; 4,086 receive economic pensions; 2,214 receive war veteran’s allowance, which makes a total of 6,300. Who would not be farmers. This accounts for 43,300, leaving 61,700 in all walks of life. Making a liberal allowance of, say, 20 per cent, means that about 12,000 returned men of the 1914-18 war became farmers. There are over 84,000 farmers in New Zealand. On 68 per cent of the total farming area in New Zealand, sheep farming is carried on. The cry the miner, freezing worker, and the wharfie, is the same old story. The one redeeming feature of his letter is the non de plume “N.Z.”—New Zealand—a place worth living in, fighting for, dying for, but no place for squealers.

In reply to H. H. Babbage, I would like to draw his attention to the fact that I did not include all sheep farmers as squealers, I said the majority had giveh, and given well, and good luck to them, and no doubt all members bf the forces appreciate what they have done. Well, if Mr Babbage considers these war bonds as practically worthless, what about handing his over to the R.S.A. I think they would take the chance of them being worth their full value and I can assure him they would help some unfortunate diggers in years to come. Now this is where H.H.B. puts his thinking cap on. The note issue in New Zealand is backed by the Government, and if these bonds are worthless, what will be the value of the note issue. I don’t know what Mr Babbage’s war effort is, but I presume he has a few thousand of these so-called worthless bonds.' If so, I say good luck to him. Your correspondent, “Soldier’s Brother,” is a very honest man. The few pounds he did not receive in cash has not worried him but his dignity has been hurt. That word dignity covers the whole position. Now, remember there is a war on, a ruthless enemy is at the back door. When your dignity gets hurt, bury it before the yellow swine bury it for you.

Perhaps, sir, your correspondents visualise me as one with political leanings. To be candid I do not care a continental for politics in war time, whether it be National, Labour, Liberal or otherwise. I have one object in mind, viz., get together and win the war. There is too much dirty political propagander about; and as far as I am concerned I consider this matter closed.—l am, etc., “LEST THEY FORGET.”