HELPING THE MOTHER COUNTRY.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2799, 17 June 1916, Page 10

HELPING THE MOTHER COUNTRY.

Sir,—A statement was made by the chairman at the conference of Taranaki cheese factories at Hawera on Saturday last that tho meat producers of this country were losing one and a half millions per annum owing to this Government handing over the meat to the Imperial authorities at this much below its value. A statement .was also made that the cheese producers of this country gave £315,500 to the Imperial authorities in a tike manner. ' Surely, sir, tbis is a inost stupid and short-sighted policy, to give away to the Imperial .authorities cne and three-quarter millions sterling per annum, instead of letting'the farmer realise all that there is to be gained by.selling his produce_at.a-fu.il. market, priee, and.then taxing him to the extent of say, 50 per cent, of his war profits, which would bring in as revenue nearly one million sterling per annum.

I await with interest the action of the Government towards next season's output of cheese, and I sincerely hope that the Government will iuilict a 50 per cent., tax on war profits', and. let the farmer get all that there is to be got by selling his produce in the usual way.' It seems absurd that this small country should be giving away such an enormous amount of money, when the Financial Minister is-straining every nerve to get taxes in e.vcry pbssible direction. It is like givlrig more than a "Dreadnought" away each season, and everyone knows tho big outcry that was made against Sir Joseph Ward giving a "Dreadnought" to the Imperial .authorities.'

It is not surprising that: the working .man cannot get his war bonus, and Gov-, crnmcnt employees are not able to get tho increase in wages which -the increased cost of living demands, seeing that Sir. Massey is throwing away to the Imperial authorities one and three-quar-ter millions sterling ofthe. - farmers'money—a most astounding .thing, which is not occurring with farmers in Canada", England, or Australia. It \is time we should receive - some benefits from iiiis combined Government,, but so far as -1 .can see they show very.little initiative.in the present crisis. . I am glad to see the wave of sentiment amongst the farmers'in this country j« turning against Mr. llassey's policy, of commandeering meat and checse at below its value, and although it is supposed to be a combined Government; 1 am. quite certain that tho Opposition Government will reap the, benefit .of it in votes after the war is'finished,'if this 'tray'of doing things does not cease immediately; For a good many years past ithere has been an.:idea that, this .country is run Ijy the big .squatter, ind seeing has not been commandeered -at a .fixed price; although it.has reached'as high as , ! Jld. per lb., it seems as though there was something in that idea: If not, why don't they levy this tax on war profits? It is absurd to liniit tho price of primary productions of this country, whilst all the other articles, both necessary arid useful, are unlimited in price owing to the war. when by the taxation of war profits it would enable this country to pay the soldiers going to the war better rates of pay, and Mm wounded,soldiers better pensions and tho labourers of this country increased wages to cope with' tho increased- cost of living. I cannot see why this taxation is not adopted, instead of giving the money away to the Imperial authorities. Any sane man csn see that it is misguided patriotism, just like the poor man giving the millionaire a fire-pound note, or in actual practice .it is a section of the New Zealand producers giving the Imperial authorities one-and throe-quarter millions per annum, wb ich will be three and n half millions sterling in two'years, and when we compare that with two thousand-millions war loan it seems absurd to think that wo are fighting the war, even if. the farmer is so soft as. to let us use his money for the purpose— I am, ttc.. INITIATIVE.

[We should <be sorry, to think that many people in Netv Zealand hold tno views of our correspondent as to our .obligations to the Mother .Country. " ho people of Britain ore making immeasurably greater 'inancial sacrifices per head than we arc in New Zealand, though oii'V contributions in.the manner mentioned sire not large, as compared with the total cost, they are none the less welcome.!