FARMERS’ ATTITUDE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 199, 20 May 1944, Page 6

FARMERS’ ATTITUDE

Rationing Complaints Condemned There was only one way now in which the war could be lost —by a shortage of food —and New Zealand farmers had a duty, notwithstanding their legitimate grievances, to work as they had never worked before and to produce to the utmost, said the president of the MakaraHutt Valley branch of>the New Zealand Farmers' Union, (Mr. R. Sievers, in his address to the annual meeting of the branch in Wellington yesterday. Mr. Sievers criticized “insistent demand for the breakdown of rationing arrangements.” Such demands, he said, were not conducive to the best outlook in the community. “Britain needs every ounce of food that we can send her.” he said. “The man who saves a ration coupon and does not expend it is assisting to provide what is today one of the most, if not the most, important weapons of war, namely, food.” The farmers’ production effort should be supported by the rest of the population and by the Government. They should endeavour to consume as little exportable food ns possible, so that the country could do its duty in helping to provide for the people of Britain, who bud borne unflinchingly the real heat and burden of the war. Nowhere in history had there been a more magnificent s-nectacle than that of the people of Britain, facing a ruthless enemy—and facing him with tightened belts. He wondered what would happen if we, in this country, were asked to put forward a similar effort. “That is a question which I shall not attempt to answer.” said Mr. Sievers, “but I do again uge farmers to drop all thoughts of their grievances till that time when we shall be in a position to show what we think of some of the treatment that is being meted out today.”