FINANCE FOR FARMERS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22514, 23 September 1938, Page 5

FINANCE FOR FARMERS

TO THE EDITOR 0» THE PRESS. Sir,—ls Mr Langford to be the only politician, as well as the first one, to tackle the farmers’ enemy “Number one,” and to give their methods publicity? He says quite truly that the stock and station agents do control many of the farmers, for the good of their firms and the reverse for the rest. These firms have come out of the slump and budget period of their clients with 20 shillings in the pound, plus compounded interest not lower than 8 per cent., at the expense of the farmer, Crown Lands Department, State Advances Corporation, and the private mortgagee. One of the South Island firms has declared a dividend of If, per cent, clear of income tax. Another (one of the smaller) of them pays £12,000 per annum in salaries to the three heads. It is a mystery how they have, and still do, manage to defy this Government, as well as they did the previous one, in the matter, since, as we all remember, it was a deputation of them that waited on Parliament and procured our first moratorium. Surely the farmer is the “national ass” of our time. He can always be persuaded to lick the boot that boots him. and to boot the friend that would befriend him. It might be of interest and profit to Mr Langford to hunt up a small working farmer or two who have had their final adjustments within the last year. If their accounts are not in a flourishing state he will find that the mercantile fh-m in the case is quietly tightening up. You are at liberty to give Mr Langford my address so that I crji show him evidence of this fact. I have a wife and family, hence this nom de plume.—Yours, etc., NATIONAL ASS. Se pteabes 3d ,