PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21015, 18 January 1940, Page 9

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents whose letters are welcome, but for whose views we have no responsibility. Correspondents are requested to write in ink. It is essential that anonymous writers enclose their proper names as a guarantee of good faith. Unless this rule is complied with, their letters will not appear. FARM LABOUR (To the Editor) Sir, —I understood the Minister of Defence to say that they are not accepting any farmers or farm hands for service overseas. As a matter of fact I know of many who are offering their services and are being accepted. Now just what is going to happen to production in this country if these men are sent away It was hard enough to get a farmhand (a good one) before the war began, but soon it will be useless to try to get one at aIL Surely there are thousands of men on public works who should go before those in active production of foodstuffs which are very essential to Britain, perhaps even more essential than the few men we may be able to send.—l am, etc., G.F.H. Hamilton, January 16. PACIFIST PLEADING (To the Editor) Sir, —It is astounding that pacifists are attempting to get public support, when obviously they have not the slightest conception of the cause of war. Their first objective is “Immediate ending of hostilities” and their second, “World conference open to all countries” to consider everything under the sun, from disarmament and the distressed areas of Britain to self-govermnent for India. A more infantile proceeding would be difficult to imagine. We have had many such conferences in the past, and all dangerous to the public welfare. What on earth have the distressed areas of Britain to do with us? Or self-government for India? We have our own distressed areas and many other urgent problems to be solved. Our own problems are here in New Zealand and can only be settled here. This continual howl for a world conference is childish and merely playing right into the hands of public enemy No. 1, “international finance.” War is the inevitable result of the working of the present financial system. If our pacifist friends are sincere why not add their voices to those who are demanding that the system shall be changed to enable the world to live at peace? Each country must settle its own problems as each and every community is tom by internal strife, neighbour against neighbour, class against class, as the direct result of the workings of our financial system. Public opinion is gradually waking up to the position and the folly of all this unnecessary strife. The next step is to unitedly demand peace and prosperity for all. No government dare refuse a united demand, so why introduce smoke screens from abroad to still further divide our people?—l am, etc., R. G. YOUNG. Gordonton, January 17. LOW CREAM GRADING (To the Editor) Sir, —When the hind feet dropped off 25 cows and 75 others were affected in two dairy herds, after eating ergotised ryegrass hay, it should not exercise the minds of farmer or official as to the cause of low grading. The writer and a friend went over and inspected the pastures on both farms and found them to be first-class ryegrass and clover on good land, with first-class conditions all round. Both farms have every natural advantage to maintain a first-class herd of cows in first-class condition and to produce super grade. When we were on the first farm the sun was shining and the heat was radiating in the air. We could show the owner ergot spores shining like wee splinters of glass, covering the surrounding grass and clover. He was under no delusion as to the cause of his trouble, so cut his grass for hay in the milk stage. The writer and his friend have no axe to grind other than to try and make farmers realise the cause of low grading, and the dangers of ergotised products. We have bred the cow to produce far beyond what nature intended, yet we have neglected to provide her with the essential elements to fulfil her mission. We have done worse than that to her; we have allowed our ryegrass (which is notorious as an ergot host) to get polluted (mostly 100 per cent) with ergot fungus, so even the most sceptical farmer or official should realise the disastrous effect it has on stock, and there is no ground left for doubt after the above happening. Why it was not recognised 20 to 30 years ago is beyond my comprehension. Farmers must face the position they have brought about by putting the plough aside and relying on a mineral base for their pasture instead of a humus. He is a super-optimist who expects super grading under present pasture conditions. I ask farmers and officials to realise there is a very wide gap between a pasture fit for a good producing herd and a pasture that will fatten stock successfully. If a cow is compelled to draw on her own system for essential minerals or be compelled to eat ergotised food, it stands to reason she cannot give a good grade product; so why waste any more time, probing at the wrong end of a problem that should be obvious to every one handling stock. The cow is nothing more than a sensitive factory to manufacture the food we supply her. If that food is saturated with deadly ergot fungus and spores how is she to carry on? If we correct our part she will give us super-grade and not before! also she will live to a good old age, disease fre£ and happy, and so will her owner and his family.—l am, etc., W. P. SEATON. Hamilton, January 15.