THE FOOD PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 266, 30 July 1918, Page 6

THE FOOD PROBLEM

Sir,—l see by recent files that a. meeting of farmers up north has decided to memorialise the Government on the de-bit-ability of setting retired farmers past military ago to work farms in order to let away on active service those who aro at present on the farms. 'J lie writer will not for a moment dispute that there are a few retired farmers who are still able to do a day's work on a farm, but they aie few and far between. When a farmer retires from active farming it is usually as the result of the infirmities of old ago. It would be a most fatal blunder to send experienced farmers in the vigour of thoir manhood to the trenches in the vain hope that there is- a possibility of replacing them by retired farmers. That would bo on a- par with the experiment made at Homo when they called up 30,000 farm labourers, and replaced them with city men, who. in most cases had never done a day's work on a farm in their lives. Farm workrequires as much manual dexterity, as much physical power and endurance, as iiny work going. Nor must it be supposed that the sheep work in this country can all be done by old men and boys. To muster the Kaikouras, tho Southern Alps, and the Patea country in this island, requires men in the very prime of life. Old musterers fell me lltat oil the country above mentioned a mustcror only lasts a few seasons, and I hen his knees give way, and he has lo seek other employment. It is pretty safe to say that this year, and still more next year, hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of sheep on rough country will not be mustered at all, or, at least, mustered too late, which is nearly as bad, for that, means late shearing,' and heavy mortality when winter comes.

No belter is (lie outlook for the food production. When Parliament sat Inst it was officially staled Hint 'ins country needs 0,500,000 bushels nf wheat Ui feed itself. During tlio season 191(1-17 some 5,200,000 bushels were grown in the country, Ilie rest had to he imported. Speaking of the Ml 7-18 season the Minister of Lands estimated a shortage ut over a million bushels, which lie hoped could be got from Australia. Dp till 51 arch 10 last the official returns from the thrashing mills showed that only 801,01)1) bushels of wheat had been thrashed up to

that diife. Wo have still got about fix 'months In go before nest, crop is due, and seed for that crop lias to b& found us well. Now, if nnr Patmers are to bo soul: to the front and I heir places taken by old men and boys, how is the food supply going to bo grown? And if it is not; grown, how is the nation (o l>o fed? America's wheat crop was short last year because the munition factories drew vlio farm labour away from the farm, and the profiteers raised the price of seed and fertilisers so that many fanners were afraid to grow wheat at all, for a bad crop would moan bankruptcy to tji» farmer. France, one of the most self- ■ contained countries in Europe, had a. shortage of food last year, becauso Iho I'oodgrowers were in the' trenches. To tlitt same cause is to bo ascribed the food shortage in all the belligerent countries. We cannot grow food if wo Bend tho labour away. Another factor thai; will count, very much against us this year is the shortage of phosphate fertilisers. It is officially stated m the agricultural report, for 1010-17 that 118,000 tons less than the-year before was imported, and that this year tlie shortage, is going to be still greater. This means that the yield of food per aero, ev.ei with the best of seasons, will bo very much les* (his year than last, and therefore a very much larger area will have to be tilled in order lo grow the same quantity of food. But how is the extra ground to be tilled with a' reduecd stair of labour? In some countries, Norway for one. the agricultural area has been mopped off. and each farmer is compelled by law to put a. given area under crops, the area varying with the size of thp holding. Why couldn't something like tint dono here? Is it because, the last loaf is not in the cupboard yet. and until it ih there is not tils slightest need to liurry r —1 aui. etc., H. C. TIIOMSE> C-nrrir.gton, Carterton.