POSITION OF THE FARMERS.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 1600, 31 May 1924, Page 5

POSITION OF THE FARMERS.

• To the Editor. Sir, —Sinee my interview with your reporter.re that vital .subject, I have not modified but intensified my convictions, and my trouble is to reach the ear and stir the conscience, and rouse the apathy of the powers that be. ..Day by day but. brings fresh evidence that the position of the fanner is posßively appalling. May I state that not for one day have I been organising amongst the farming community fpr months without one or more farmers telling me "they were •walking off their farms." Take" one day last week, I ...was working a road on which there are Six farms. The first farm I called at the person told me he was a newcomer in the district, the previous owner having walked off and that he had been obliged to buy furniture, etc., froni the man to enable him to pay his fare to Auckland, where he went in search or work, then said the same "man; ~.H. Will', be worth while your calling at the next two farms, but the "two next to' those it will be -waste time,,as they are walking off their farms," then pointing to the road that lay at-the'back of these farms he pointed out another farm where the people '-had just walked off and a man on wages, was in charge and then to several others on the sanie road where the people were w alkm « off - l P ur ~ posely called on one of these farmers and this is what he told me. "That he had spent four years at the front, had been saving, and that with all his gratuities, etc., he had invested in the farm and that now after five years titanic struggle he walked off without a bean. Nine vears of. my life thrown away." '.. '". Mr Editor. Sir, that is one day, and nearly every day is the same. Something must be done and that right quicklv, but what? Ah Sir, that is the ■: question, , pur executive, will hold its meeting in a few days and I should. be glad if every farmer that is' in difficulty could write me re the same, ana further if some person from every district'could send mc word at once hew many farmers have left their farms and how many they know •are likely to leave. I would, very much like to have these figures tabulated ,for the next, executive. Everything! will be treated as confidential. There are several other, aspects of the question that I should like to refer to. nut must not take up too much of your .valuable space just now.—l .am,.etc., ,-' ' ""V. -A.-..PORTER.