PLIGHT OF SMALL FARMERS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 205, 25 May 1921, Page 6

PLIGHT OF SMALL FARMERS

A TYPICAL CASE. Addressing the Wellington Provincial Conference of tho Farmers’ Union at Masterton yesterday, Mr. W. J. Polson gave a striking example of tho actual effect of present prices of primary produce. on the small fanners of the Dominion. The case quoted was that of a backblocks farmer, with a good farm carrying three sheep to the acre, which he had purchased at ihe pre-war value of <£lB per acre. Assuming that he hod borrowed the money involved in the purchase at 5 per cent., his annual expenditure was, said Mr. Polson, something like the following:— £ Interest on .€lB,OOO 900 Wages and keep of himeelf and man 450 Shearing expenses, say 150 Working "expenses ; 300 Rates and taxes 150 Total expenditure £1950 Such a farmer’s stoek would, stated Mr. Polson, consist of, say, 1000 breeding ewes, 1000 hoggets, 500 wethers, and some cattle and horses, and at the present prices his income would work out like this:— £ Wool, say 50 bales 250 Cast ewes, say 400 200 Fat wethers, say 500 300 £750 His loss, on thy year’s working would therefore be £l2OO.