THE PRESENT OUTLOOK.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1930, Page 12

THE PRESENT OUTLOOK.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—We hear a good deal about different parties in the House, but aa far as an old farmer can see there is mighty little' difference. The Reform Party has done a pretty fair lot in landing New Zealand in. for a good big debt. °lt was responsible for building the new station in Auckland—no doubt a very fine job, but not producing any extra. money; a £3500 railway manager, resulting so far in bigger loss than .ever; shifting railway workshops another half-million or so; importing the three Garrett engines—about as expensive tools aa ever imported—and a few other expensive fade—'the trains de luxe for. one. Then the United Party .floated in on., the election cry of a 70 million load. and a very good one too but for oho 'thing. There were two very Surprised parties —one that they went out, another that they went in—-but the net result is that never in New Zealand history has there been at the height of summer more out of work than now. What does it mean? Now milking, haymaking, freezing works are all in full swing, manure works, etc. Well, this season at any rate as eoon ae the dairy factories and Seasonal worka finish they will all be thrown on the labour market, as this year so many farmers will be in such, an uncertain position as to renewal of mortgages and not being able to pay interest and rents because at 8d or 9d pay-out it x will take all, they know to live. The game applies to sheep farmers. I know of one case in the bush country. This man had 1000 acres of wether country. ,He had 1000 wethers and 100 head of cattle. He shore the sheep and wool was sold last Wanganui sale at 3Jd or 4d, net result £2O after all charges were met. Of course the cartage was fairly heavy. But worse still, the sheep are worth 7s per head leee than last year, and his bullocks, with losses, would be in the position of not paying their way- -Now how could that man live? But with fat lambs at 6d and wool at 4d, how can a sheep farmer pay 7i per.cent. or more, often 8 or 9 per cent.? But as far ae farm hands <ro their wages could not be reduced a areat deal. Shearers reduced themselves 14 per cent. If the weather is good a shearer makes good wages, but he has a lot of lost time. The same applies to casual country workers. I have been at a good deal of trouble to find out how it works out. I took meh who I knew were good workers and lost no phances of getting a job, and even reckoning that during hay-making and en-silage-making they got 2s to 2s 6d per -hour, the total ranges from £2 15s to £3 per week, but very few touch the £3. Of course, machines are so much used. In the old days to have a gang hay-making meant three with sweeps, three forkers on the ground, two on the platform or wagon, three on the stack, one or two on rakes. Now two men with sweeps, one at the stacker, a boy to. lead the horse out, two or three, on the stack, or if a motor sweep is used one man less, a total of about half the men, which means that hay-making for most men is for very small farmers. But compare their wages with the Government paying 14s and almost regular work and wages in towns. You cannot wonder if men go into towns. It is not so much the farm wages that press on the farmer; it is the high interest, rents and wages in towns and all round everything dearer except groceries, etc. Hides to-day are lower than 46 years ago, and then ‘kaad-mad£ books

cost 17s 6d, but to-day they cost 82s 6d or more. When wool was W<l a tailor-made suit cost £4 10s to , to-day wool is 3d to sd, and a suit costs £lO. Something will have to be done. Of our money 9§ per cent, conies’ from the land, and as it stands while the farmer and share milker are reduced the money-lender’s high salaried officers have their salaries increased owing to the drop in prices of farm pro-, duce. I notice butchers are advertising forequarters of lamb at 7d and foreouarters of wether .mutton at 5d and sirloins of beef at 7d. It must mean lower cost of living at the cost .of the producer. I am afraid I am. treadin on somebody’s toes, but that cannot be helped. New Zealand seems to mo like a ship without a skipper in a storm waiting to hit the cliff before . they launch a boat. —I am, etc., OLD FJUIWLEL