LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3140, 19 July 1917, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE "WAIT AND SEE" POLICY Sir.-Alr. von Haast's letter which appo.ii eel in your issue to-day precisely epitomises local public opinion as far as 1 have been able to gauge it. The lailure of tho National Government to give a lead to the community in regard to things essential .to the winning of the war is one of the nutters most frequently discussed in tho country districts. As honorary secretary to the local trustees ot the National Efficiency Board this'has come forcibly under my notice. Again and again leading fanners have said to me, "What does the Government want ns to It is not a sufficient answer to say, "The Government expects you. to supply men and still more men" because already the farms have been denuded of the pick of the workers, and the labour problem is one of the most serious that the community has got to face. The National Government is seeing to it that we shall havo liquor as usual and racing very much as usual. They v have made it quite clear where their collective sympathies lie in those directions; but as Sir Francis Bell has himself admitted, they have not yet organised cr attempted to organise in regard to essentials. On May 11 last our local Board of Trustees drew up a memorandum to the National Efficiency Board asking for a definite pronouncement; from the Cabinet on the question of food production. We asked that the farmers in this district should be afforded certain information. Our queries were set out in this form:— (1) Does the National Efficiency Board desire that local farmers 6hould grow wheat on suitable aieas? Note.—Many of our farmers are prepared to grow wheat if it is considered necessary even to th» abandonment of present forms of culture, and even though the success of the crop would be problematical by reason of the variations.of climate and the character of the soil. (2) Does tho National Efficiency Board recommend the growing of potato crops on a large scale? Note.—lt. is felt that unless very precise estimates are made there is a danger of the over-production of this commodity. This, in view of tho embargo on exports, and the tendency which is being exhibited to encourage householders to grow potatoes,, may, it is felt, tend towards over-produc-tion, and a glut, whioh would seriously affect 6mall landowners who specialise in potato production. (3) Does the National Efficiency Board recommend that the farmers in this district should cultivate oats or other cereal crops, or crops of any special kind, and, if so, on a large or on a moderate scale? . (4) Does tho National Efficiency Board recommend :— ' (a) A full production of "butter. (b) A full production of cheese. (c) A lessening in the production of butter oi- cheese or both in favour of the production of beef and mutton? Note.—The farmers are most anxious to have explicit information in regard to these problems—(a) from a desire to provide the most suitable foodstuns for our fighting men; and (b) to avoid glutting the freezing works with foodstuffs which not essential, thus entailing . deterioration and loss. In ether words, they desire to direct their energies into essential channels.

(5) Does the National Efficiency Board desire that the flaxmillers shall continue operations on the present scale? Note.—The flaxmillers would like to havo early advice on this question. It involves two important problems: (a) the necessity for the gradual diversion of flaxmill hands to other forms of industry; (b) the serious deterioration of the 6wamps and liability to fire in the event of their temporary abandonment, owing to the fall 'of the decayed leaves. In thin connection tho part played by bindor-twino in cropping operations at home and abroad merits, it is suggested, particular attontion. My trustees respectfully suggest *.hat an immediate indication of policy on these and cognate matters would be "cry helpful to the farmers and business community. They feel that with tho information at. its command, the National Efficiency Board could render valuable service to New Zealand by a declaration ol policy at this time. That memo, was, as I say, sent out on May 11, and tho farmers are still waiting for a lead!

On June 7 our trustees wrote to tho Efficiency Board pointing out that in some localities Tiereabouts. men were being called up from small holdings without the slightest regard to the "essential industry" side of the question; that valuable herds were thus being dispersed, and that holdings were "running back" and that aggregation was taking place on a serious scale. We have had no reply to these representations. We have seen in the newspapers a great deal of talk about the last man and the last shilling; we have seen Sir Joseph Ward's declaration that he will\tako just so much of the Efficiency Board's advice as 'ho agrees with, but we have not seen any indication that Cabinet Ministers hnvo a policy to assist production or that they are prepared to place the cards on the table.

The producers are more keenly interested in the question of production in its relation to patriotism than the National Ministry has shown itself to bo. But forensics do not appeal to them ono little bit. This was has got to be paid for, and there is only one place that the money can come from—the soil. If we go on cleaning up tho male population without regard to the effect it is going to have on the men who return, and who will have to be , adequately provided for, we shall not only be unpatriotic, but dishonest. The farmers do not want to stop reasonable supplies of reinforcements—far from it—but they do suggest that our political leaders should show some organising capacity and common sense. It is useless to set up an elaborate organisation such as exists under our very careful National Pfficiency Board and then treat its lelpful suggestions as so much waste paper. It is scandalous to set up a Board of Trade and, for instance, make blundering wheat purchases over its head. Great Britain only began to make headway in the war w'hen the politicians stood down in favour of the experts. But the trouble in New Zealand is. as Mr. von Haast has pointed out, that Ministers of the Crown forget that they are the servants, and not the, masters, of tbe democracy. Tn the meantime the things we have asked for we have not got; the ndvice we have requested we have not obtained. There is not a farmer in the Manawntu district to-day who knows what "the Government wants h'm to do more than he is doing in the matter of production, or whom he will be able to turn for lieln in the spring and summer months. Let the National Ministrv come down from the clouds; let theiii sit down for a week in conference with the National Efficiency Board and the Board of Trade and then issue a business slogan which will convince the peoole that they rea'ly have grinned the situation, and are in earnest. What v<,.>- 7.na'r."d n-nnts is a lead'. Let the National Ministry sea to it.—T am', etc., PIERCE C. EREETH. Palmerston North, July 16.