FARMERS AND FARMING. No. IX.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2116, 30 January 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

FARMERS AND FARMING. No. IX.

TllK last letter precipitated us into the vortcv of agricultural business, that of buying and selling, or what should bo buying and selling These two phases constitute the Alpha and the Omega of all business. In fact, business is nothing else, and the two great requisites of a successful business man are, in buying, "good judgment," and in selling a perfect command of hi«i business, combined with a thorough knowledge of human nature. lam now writing of the practical part of business. The moral part of course comprises truthfulness, honesty, etc. I would have the farmers of this country remember that they are not merely the food producers for the rest of the community, and that this is undertaken from some philanthropic notion of duty or pleasure. Not by any means ; for agriculture is the highest business calling of man ; therefore there must be attached to it, as to all other business, something more tangible than a bare livelihood. Agriculture requires capital and labour; therefore those must be renumerated by a reasonable profit. Hence the reason why I have laid stress on the words buying and selling. Though, unfortunately, the terms can hardly be applied to New Zealand farmers, as generally spoaking,they ore mere tools, manipulated by an ingenious machine, known by the name of "auctioneer. "And how beautifully this machine works! Its mechanism is perfection, as comprising many diverse parts. Here it can coax with great applause, there cajole in a humorous vein, and awhile hence threaten with unmistakable earnestness, and there is a screw lever attached, which can be applied with exquisite and merciless precision. This machine is an old invention, but of course through many centuries it has been brought to its present state of completeness. I think this machine exists to a greater extent in this country, than in any other, excepting probably the neighbouring colonies. Wherever you go in this country you are sure to come across one of these articles. The farmer practically is harassed by them on all hands ; if he wants to buy a pig, a cow, or a horse there is the inevitable auction to attend, and the same in the case of wanting to sell anything. This is the reverse of the old country custom. There the buyer generally pays the commission. As I have previously observed, auctioneering in this country is of a prodigious and unnatural growth. I know not whether it is the soil or climate that agrees with it best, or that an overdose of artificial manure has produced its colossal dimensions. Lately, in conversation with aCanadian gentleman, he observed thatin Queenstreet, Auckland, there were more auctioneers than in the whole of the town from which he camo viz., Toronto, Canada, of 120,000 inhabitants. H thought that such an expansion of the system must be very detrimental to the cor ltry. Ho only thought so ; if ho had known the country districts well the mere thought would have developed itself ioto a moral certainty. It is almost impossible to do anything without one of these very undesirable individuals having his finger in the pic, and pulling- out the little golden plums. The farmers' produce, may bo summed up into htook, crops, dairy and orchard produce, and all these must go through the auctioneer's hand*, at a general rate of commission, yard fees and sundry charges, which the farmer would be very glad to realiso as a nott profit per annum on his capital invested. There is an orror here, which roqr'res a, very radical remedy, the real business part of farming has in this countiy degenerated into an auction ahop, wherein the real producers and consumers nro practically notFng more than mere dummies. It &ays very little for the business qualifications of our farmers, though they are not to blame, at least in one sense ; it is the system of this country, or rather I should have said the "scourgo." And yot tho farmers are to blame for upholding- it, but now they have got it so twisted round their necks, that they will, without a u» 'tod and powerful effort, find it very difficult to get rid of, and then it may, nay wiU in tho process become unpleasantly tight, producing a sort of choking sensation. But it is much bettor to remove it yourselves, than submissively allow yourselves to be strangled slowly but with vory sure means. How many of you arc, oven now, standing upon tho fatal drop ; waiting with dread the P ml draw'ig of tho bolt, which wi M precipitate you to yov final doom, that of a ruined man ? Of course, so far as one part of tho business is concerned, viz., that of usury the first fatal stop of going 1 beyond your means, must perforce lead to others, for want of capitil means tho requirement of credit, and credit in this cor itry means something more than interest, especially when connooted with farming, usury wrung in spite of every feeling of fellowship —and in this Christian age — from the toil, aye and tho sorrow "and anxiety of man. Mercy, justico, consideration, are not understood in bnsin^s. No, these men havo their ill-favoured agents prowling round districts, keeping a weather eye upon the poor farmer who happens to be in their clutches, and in case they know or suspect anything is wrong, or they are in want of money, down comes the screw ft !th terrible force. Yes, you all 1 aow what the application of tho screw means, thongh many not in a practical way, how, when a bi' 1 is past due you are ordered to send cattle, sheep or pigs—never mind whether they are fat or not—to the auction pales, as they are there sold at a rr'nously low prico, probably at even less than yon gnve for them. Any and every pacrifice must be made upon tho altar of the auctioneer's cupidity. My next letter will deal further with this system of middlemen, nnd give a slight idea of their gains, and also of more little doings prejudical to the interests of the farmer. TJt Prosim .