THE FARMER AND PRODUCE RATES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2623, 19 November 1915, Page 8

THE FARMER AND PRODUCE RATES

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—-Iu connection with the meat question and the contention of farmers that thoro is too much difference between the price paid to the fanner here and the price the consumei has to pay at Home, "Fair Play" in V our last Thursday's issue has supplied- me with some useful information. He proves to his own satisfaction, and mine also that the charges have gone up from 1 1-Sd. or ljd. to 2 3-Bd., or, in other words, that they have nearly doubled. Does "Fair Play" realise that' this extra charge amounts tb a million and a half which the British consumer has to pay? I suspect that this is the million and a' half which we have always declared is missing, and which we concluded the British Government had in hand.

"Fair Play" asks me if I know that 20 per cent, of l the shipping has been commandeered for transports, etc. Yes, I knoiVj and I also know that the companies will be uncommonly well paid for any ships so taken.

"Fair Play" also informs me that we would have had no ships 'here to take away our meat as they would have gone to the Argentine.

' I knew that the American' Meat Trusts, in their great effort to corner tho whole meat market and, make John Bull pay dearly for every ounco of meat he needed, tried hard to get our ships away to the Argentine. It was fortunato that the ships ivero British owned, or John Bull, would not have been able to commandeer as he did to checkmate the Trusts. .

I suspect also that our Government had very little to do with it, the real reason being that the British Government wanted the meat to compete with the meat controlled by the Trusts. Now, "Fair Play" has'a'sked ino a few questions. Perhaps he would like to answer a few to air his knowledge of the farmers' business.

Does he know that' the increase in freight on our meat amounts to £300,000, on'butter and cheese it ia £100,000, and oil lyool £500,000? Does he know what-the increased freight on goiids imported amounts to ? I put it at a round million, but probably lie knows more than I'do about that, and if so he might work out the figures for me. Furthermore, does "Fair Play" know of any real reason why these enormous -sums should be demanded as. extra freight? He suggests thai I dp not know that it is. war time in this connection-. AVell, I had overlooked tho fact; being a farmer I thought perhaps it was harvest time with them.

Does "Fair Play" know whether £2,000,000 a year for three years would buy a lino of ships equal to any trading to this Dominion? Wo may want the information later on.

"Fair Play"' seems anxious to. connect me with the Bristol' Association. Well, I have no interest in it, and know very little about the business, but if "Fair Play" wants to champion the Port of London or its authority, I would advise him to go down into a cellar or anywhere like that before ho 6tarts operations. There is nothing like publicity, • Mr. Editor. The farmers are getting some of the information thev. asked for, though I must confess I do not. think it will be much satisfaction to them.— I am, etc.,

0. S. HAWKEN, • Chairman of the Committee. Hawera, November 1 5.