THE LOT OF THE FARMER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3102, 5 June 1917, Page 6

THE LOT OF THE FARMER

Sir,—l. would like to deal with somo points in a letter on "The Lot of the Farmer," which appeared in Tuesffay s issue. The writer signs himself "Also from the Country." Well, Sir, whatever excuse there may be for city people for their ignorance of working conditions in the country, there is absolutely no excuse for Ihis member of the State Servants' Association, who, on his own statement, Jias lived in the country for years and yet tries to lead people to bclievo that'tho farmer's lot is such an easy one.' He says the farmers are all bluffers. The only time ; the farmer bluffs is when he is in deep water, and keeps a smiling face to the world. We could do with more of that kind of bluffer in this country. Evidently your correspondent, though in the country, is not of tho country, or ho would have a little sympathy for the man on the land. He quotes a. neighbour's case as a typical one. He says that before the war this farmer made ,£2lO from twenty cows off fifty acres of land, valued at JE3o.per acre. That is to say, on a capital of at. least #2000, counting value of stock, tho farmer had a. return of .£l2O per year for his labour, after deducting interest on fys capital. That was his return in norinal times. Now ho is stated to be taking ,£WO per year from those same cows. After allowing interest, that leaves the farmer ,£2BO for his year's work, out of which he has to pay rates, insurances, and the eitra cost of living and of working his farm. And after the war his return will fall back to tho £120 per year again! . He quotes this, fanner's land as having increased in. valiie from ,£3O to <£ia per acre iu two years and a half. That is utterly absurd. There has been no real increase in values at all eiace tho war started. There have been isolated cases of 6ales.at higher prices, but values are likely to fall after the war, on account/ of the dearness of mouey. la any case, what benefit would it'be to the farmer if his laud jumped to .£45, when he didn't want to sell? It only means his rates would be increased 50 per cent. There is not much profit in that.

Then your correspondent contrasts his own case with his farmer neighbour,, and is very doleful at the result. He says that it costs him ,£3O n year more out of his ,£2OO salary to live, and that his boTius works out at £& per year. This is pure misrepresentation. It is only during the last year that prices have reached such a high level, and in that tiiuo ho has received j;ls for nine months' bonus. This year he is receiving £2Q. To look into the matter more closely—he receives -JI2OO per annum, presumably with a free house. This is the usual thing for responsible State servants in the country. He escapes all rates, insurance, and expense o£ upkeep, and tho State assists him with his superannuation fund. In addition to this lie gets two or three weeks' holiday every year on full pay. These are some of the advantages of working for the State,- and he enjoys these advantages in bad seasons as well as in good. Then his hours are usually from 9 till 5, with ft half-holiday during the week. He omitted to state < what hours hisneighbour worked—about twice as many' most of the year—and if the farmer wauls a holiday nobody pays him for his time off. There is another thing that apparently has escaped the notice of the country Public Servant. In most cases like his the family cau usually keep a cow by paying grazing, aud can enjoy their own milk, butter, and eggs, and can grow enough vegetables to last them the greater part of the year. It certainly takes a little time and energy, but in the long days of-summer therei is ample time to spare. • The reference to his children sitting on the garden fence becauso they could not go away for their annual holiday docs not look very promising for his garden, though. I would like to correct one more misHe says the farmer quoted is one of the poorest of (hepoor, whereas from the purchase of the motor-car mentioned it is evident that the usual farmer's worries about interest days, bill days, and such things do not troubje this man. Ho has had to work hard for years to reach this position, and nobody should grudge him a little pleasure now.—l am, etc., FROM THE COUNTRY.