OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 December 1943, Page 4

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

LEND-LEASE & HARVESTING (To the Editor.) Sir, —in reference to the report or the Farmers’ Union Executive, Mr L. T. Daniell asks: ‘'Will Mr Nash still contend that lend-lcase is not a debt. Mr Nash has always contended it ij not a debt, and he is usually right and Mr Daniell is usually wrong. Also, the reference to soldiers harvesting not being satisfactory in the eyes of Mr Sutton and one other farmer is not confirmed by other farmers concerned, and savours more of politics than a desire to foster the co-operation nprpssarv.—We are, etc., EXECUTIVE, MASTERTON BRANCH, NEW ZEALAND LABOUR PARTY. Masterton, December 17.

territorial harvesters (To the Editor.) Sir —Your correspondent, “Nauticus,’ who could well have signed his name and shown where he is interested m the matter, has tried to throw a few bricks at members of the Farmers Union Executive and Mr Sutton, regardless of the facts. First of all, Mr Sutton, a Masterton hay press contractor Mr Kebbell, chairman of the Wairar’apa Production Council, Mr Perry, on whose farm the soldier gang on Mr Sutton’s press were then working, and Major Selby, in charge of the Memorial Territorial Camp, were invited to attend the Farmers’ Union Executive meeting last Monday to try to find a solution of the difficulties which had. arisen. The meeting unanimously agreed that it was too much to expect of the boys from non-manual occupations to tackle the heavy work of hay pressing, and put out sufficient to get the hay crop harvested in time. It was therefore decided to ask the Minister of Manpower to provide adult and skilled labour for harvesting, and that they be billeted out. Your correspondent is all at sea when he suggests that the above in any way criticised the Production Council. Actually, Mr Kebbell assisted with and voted for the resolution. Regarding the allegation that the boys only had water to drink, it should be made clear that the contractor does not supply the tea or whatever it may be for the gang. This is usually done by the farmers wife I think all press men will agree that it is well done, too, with plenty of “eats” to go with it. In some cases oatmeal water is given instead of tea or soft drinks. Some prefer the oatmeal water, but usually they get one or two lots of’tea as well. Re Mr Wiggins and the burning of the hay. Mr Wiggms said that if they could not get the haymaking done, farmers would have to burn their hay. He also stated that farm workers were paid the equivalent of Is 3d per hour, whereas the farmer was charged 2s 6d for the soldiers. Both statements were all right taken in the way Mr Wiggins put them. Re the rations, Mr Perry stated that he had seen one of the boy’s lunches. It consisted of two or three slices of tnick dry bread, some butter and a hardboiled egg; In his opinion this was not good enough for boys to have for a hard day’s work, especially as they were new to Army life. I asked Major Selby if this was a “field” ration or a “camp” ration. He slated that they were on “camp” rations. I might explain that there, is quite a difference. 'The camp ration is much wider and better in every way. I have handled these rations for shooting parties and manoeuvres at Waiouru’and Linton, and I can say that if the quartermaster is so inclined he can put out quite a palatable and substantial meal. It was to this I drew Major Selby’s attention. Re working after five. The boys could work after five if they wished, and in this case would draw the full 2s 6d per hour. It is the custom to work after five, with the usual breaks for a snack or a meal, and only by taking full advantage of the weather can all the hay and other crons be harvested. A final word, Sir. These boys are straight from banks, offices, and like occupations. They don’t want all this publicity. Given time, they harden up and are as good as any other New Zealanders. But Mr Sutton and many others have had their men taken into camp and overseas, and have asked for replacements to get the job done. Without any reflection on the boys who were sent along, we says that the necessities of the job were not fully appreciated down below. Thanking you for your space, Sir, —

I am, etc., W. J. THOMAS. Carterton, December 17. FAIR PLAY & JUSTICE (To the Editor) Sir, In support of the views on the closing down of the Eketahuna Dairy Factory expressed by Magnus W. priest, printed in your paper issued on December 14, I, as an ex-director of the Mauriceville Factory, just resigned because I stand on the principle that dry share votes should not be used and that a dry shareholder should not be a director of a dairy company. I propose to set out as briefly as pos-

sible what has happened since the first proposal came forward for the Mauriceville Dairy Company to amalgamate with the Eketahuna Dairy Company. . . We, the then directors of the Mauriceville Dairy Company, put forward proposals to Eketahuna which I thought were quite fair, if they wanted to amalgamate, which they definitely did not.

Then the battle began, and here I must congratulate the directors of the Eketahuna Dairy Company for the great fight to retain their factory and democracy. I protested against forcing the Eketahuna Factory out of being. ... I was one who fought for freedom from 1915 to 1918 and thousands of our boys are now doing the same thing, and to think they have gone overseas to fight Hitlerism while we have it in our midst under the guise of improving the lot of the dairy farmer. One cannot praise the directors of the Eketahuna Dairy Company enough for the great fight they put up for freedom and justice. Had this adjustment been just a war measure, one would have had to abide by it. But no, the three major companies took advantage of the war and the unfortunate position the Eketahuna Dairy Company found itself in after the earthquake. The Eketahuna Dairy Company has oi' can raise fhe money to put its factory in working order again, so why not let them do so? There are other points that should be put forward in dealing with this matter and for the good of the dairy farmers as a whole. Dairy farmers are losing their standard of freedom bit by bit simply because they will not take enough interest in the most vital part of their industry, that is their own dairy company. I know the setbacks dairy farmers have had when they have tried to put their own man on the directorate, only to find, when they go to their annual meetings, that the ballot box is nearly full of proxy and dry votes. Even at our annual meeting we had a church and other dry share votes, held by persons whose parents died 20 years ago.

My advice to all dairy farmers is: Don’t lo§e heart, get together, put the voting of your directors on a sound basis so that you will not have more of ’ this sordid business the Ekeahuna Dairy Company has had to put up with since the earthquake.—l am, etc., W. F, ROGERS. Te Whiti, Masterton, December 17.