MR. MITCHELL AND THE DAIRY FARMERS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 208, 28 May 1921, Page 7

MR. MITCHELL AND THE DAIRY FARMERS

Bir-l note in the AVellington papers a column and a half of reading matter /leaded “The Attack of Mr. Mitchell, M.P.” I take off my hat to the dairy torniers of New Zealand. Their tore-

sight in adopting the industry and then toil of seven days a week and twelve hours a day have been a large factor in the salvation of New Zealand irom financial disaster. When Mr. Mitchell reinforces himself with a little know-

ledge of history, he will discover the fact that prosperity is cyclic. 'Io S« back to Pharaoh’s dream and Joseph s, interpretation; The seven lean years cat up the seven fat years. Any man who does not seize prosperity when she offers will be counted out in the ultimate struggle. Mr. Mitchell’s attack is in the nature <:f an advertisement. AVe know that he has promoted and directed » Progress League, the chief function of which is to teach people how to conduct then 1 businesses, and also to direct tho business of the country. AA e also know that Air. Mikheil is a new politician—

he must cultivate his constituency. His position depends upon the good will of bis electors. They want cheap food. They, do nol produce any themselves. Hence Mr. Mitchell's attack on the dairy farmer and the advertisement of his watchful care. This kind of advertisement costs nothing. Ordinarily he would have had lo pay for something of this kind: “For sale, n compendium of useless knowledge, on the keeping of bulls, cows. pigs, and goats at a loss, with an appendix upon how lo ruin the industries of a country by deluding the people into concentrating on the manufacture of. an article of commerce, for sale to a foreign country, and then (o buy the product in. and flood the local market. Edited by M. M. Mitchell, M.P.. for the Hafaitai Progress League. Price one. penny.” Now, although T understand that this is the silly season for newspapers, 1 do nol want lo waste your valuable space. Just a few lines more, and 1 will explain the position to Mi-. Mitchell. When (he British Government said they wauled butter, and were willing to bur the New Zealand output, a great many factories switched over from

making cheese to making butter. Here was a certainty for the farmer and for the finances of the country. A verylarge amount of butter was made on the distinct understanding that it was sold (o go out of tho country. Tho factory with which I am connected has lost: in the vicinity of £7OOO by making butter instead of cheese. Mr. Mitchell’s mental and moral attitude to tho dairyfarmer is here clearly shown. He is using his influence w/ith n Minister of the Government to try and prevent this buffer leaving the country, and would flood the local market with it.

As to tho cost, of making winter butter, this is a mathematical and fair!’

exact calculation, end Mr. Mitchell caa get the information from me or from the Government dairy experts. HTicn Mr. Mitchell has got: the figures, which will justify his statements, then we shall se.e a. wild stampede of needy politicians, downtrodden journalists, six-aud-eighi-penny lawyers, and others not so prot’es* sional. They will leave their regular hours and cosy firesijjefs, and you will see them crawling into old gum boots, seizing milk-pails, and hurrying out to the sheds hours before a wintry dawn.

Air. Alitchell talks alxmt parity of values. Here are some: In 1913 2001 b. butterfat would buy a ton of Number 8 fencing wire; 4001 b. of butter-fat would buy a ton of roofing iron. Now it would require 4201 b. of fat to "buy the. wire, and 6401 b. to buy the roofing iron. I do not. agree with Mr. Mitchell that the daily farmer gets twopence bonus from fhe taxpayer. I slate that the taxpayer is loaded with the payment in order that the consumer may get cheap butter. The last contract for sale of butter to the British Government involved the taxpayers in an imposition at file rate of JS6SO,O(Xt a year, in order that the price of butter might remain at a lower figure to tho local con. sinner. No venom and nothing of bitterness ie intended by this letter. Mr. Mitchell has attacked the dairy farmer, and it is the attack of an astute politician for a political purpose, and I trust that all dairy farmers will recognise that they have a. Afinister in charge of this: Department who is able io take a broad financial and commercial stand in his reply to Air. Mitchell.—T am, VT. BARTON. Featherston. Mav 20, 1921.