FARMERS AND THE LAND

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 46, 18 November 1926, Page 11

FARMERS AND THE LAND

_ ♦ (To the Editor.) ■ Sir,—ln your paper of November 12(?) 1 see a quotation from Mr. W. Perry’s remarks to the "Age” io the Agricultural College, and a few days ago J read a letter from Mr. <3. E. Moore, of Kai-iwi, on the same subject. Very unfortunately Mr. Moore's letter was tucked away in a corner of one of the back sheets of the paper, so that 1 fear few people, would see it. owing to space taken tip by the so-called "bcuutv” contest and the racing news. Truly a sign of the times - when our leading farmers’- paper gives itself to such things. But —there’s always a but!— the public debt of New Zealand is not going to be paid .by beauty contests nor by racing, but—again—by the farmers of this cou.ntrv producing more and more still. For numbers of years any Minister quoting exports, and imports (cspeeintlv the former' has been in the habit of giving the increase in .£ s. <)., instead of lbs., so that for this • last twenty years or mote we have, apparently, been increasing our "exports’’ by “leaps and bounds.” whereas, actually, our production has been no more—h' not some years—less than tho preceding year. Unfortunately tho late Mr. Mas-' sey's Government was just as bad as tho Ward Government. The farmers themselves are to blame for the stagnation in exports-Hawke's Bay especially being noticeable, with land that has been held from twenty’to fifty yeais freehold, and on which they carry stock for the same nu.mlwr of years—summei an.] winter-expecting always .nine months of growth, and if time didn't get twelve months you hear of a l>iid season, and in return, what have they done? Just nothing. Not even to ease off tho sheen and carry a few more cattle—no top-dressing. no nothing Take all, and give nothing in return. Not even an attempt at providing for a drought, which Nature or Providence sends along now and then, to give, flic poor old pastures a rest. Apologising for the length of this.—t am. etc.. PETER SMITH. ■ To Fae-o-tc-Rangi. TLB.. November 13 192fi.