WAIHI FARMERS

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXX, Issue 8496, 1 August 1933, Page 3

WAIHI FARMERS

MONTHLV MEETING OF UNION TOWN VERSUS COUNTRY OBJECTIONABLE CRITICISM The monthly meeting of the Waihi branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was held on Friday evening in the Miners’ Union reading room, Mr A. H. Blackmore presiding. A copy of a letter by Mr C. M. Olliver, a Christchurch business man attacking the farmers of the Dominion was read by the secretary, Mr G. Haszard, the text being as follows; “New Zealand farmers should take a lesson from the Australian farmeis. They should stop squealing and mind their own business,” said the writer on his return from a visit to Australia. “He was interested to learn that during his absence the Government had brought down regulations governing the dairy industry. That in itself supported the contention that,the dairy farmers of the Dominion were inefficient. The Australians had outstripped New Zealand in regard to the quality of buttei and cheese, and the regulations had therefore not been brought in befoie they were wanted. Many of our troubles to-day are due to bad government by the ‘cockatoo’ farmer, and now he is trying to get a ride out of his troubles on the back of the rest of the community.”

REPLY TO ATTACK A lengthy reply to the attack was made by Mr C. M. Goldstone, who. inter alia, said that with many years of farming experience, with two sons farming and another studying for an agricultural degree, he had read tmh the deepest resentment the remarks of the Christchurch man They were a reflection on a splendid body of men, women and children. ... to whose efforts they owed the conservation of city interests and securities. The writer had told them to stop squealing and mind their own business. Exactly! And they should take their hands off the farmers organising efforts and leave them to mind their own business without interference from merchants and chambers of commerce. Between them they had broken the Dairy Control Board seven years ago when on the eve of success. . . . Times would change and the slogan of the farmer would be “hands off” and they would mind their own business without city interference. QUESTION OF EFFICIENCY With regard to the statement that Australians were more efficient, and the charge of the inefficiency of Dominion farmers, Mr Goldstone considered the Christchurch correspondent was badly informed. The history of grassland farming in the Auckland province in the last 20 years was a romance, and the standard accomplished had been held up by British, Canadian, African and Australian farmers as the highest existing. North Auckland land which it was considered would not carry a grasshopper to the acre had been brought in and last year had produced from 15 to 20 per cent, of the total output of the Dominion. . . . Queensland

dairy farmers touring the Dominion recently had expressed themselves thus before their departure; “We are amazed at the position of the dairy farmers in this country; in Australia we are getting lid per pound for butterfat (assisted by the Pattison scheme and high exchange) while you are getting only 6d and 7d.” . .

Our’ Governor-General had also expressed himself as follows: “The farmers of this country are being subjected to a process of financial strangulation. They are being asked to make bricks without straw”; and again, “The farmers of this country are on the brink of a financial precipice, and if they fall the cities will fall with them.” Concluding, Mr Goldstone said the farmers had been asked to produce in a protected market and sell in a free one. It was deeply significant that a director of the London and Midland Bank, recently in this country, had stated: “A high exchange limits the profits of the banks.”

The chairman, in moving that the letter be received, said that while he was in sympathy with Mr Goldstone’s sentiments he did not think it a desirable policy to create dissention between town and country. This view was endorsed by other members present.

LABOUR FOR FARMS

A lengthy summary of the Reserve Bank Bill of New Zealand, dealing especially with its more dangerous features, was taken as read, the chairman intimating that the communication was available for perusal

by members. The question of the proposal to suspend the Unemployment Board’s No. 4A scheme, which makes provision for assistance to farm labour, was discussed and on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr C. A. Larsen, it was resolved that in the opinion of the meeting the scheme should not be suspended during the summer months but be carried on to meet deserving cases.