CORRESPONDENCE.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 14, 12 July 1883, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

— ■♦- — The Cheese and Butter Factory. TO THB EDITOB OP THE STAB. Sir,— l read with some surpiise a letter signed " Progress" in your issue of Tuesday last, which casts some very undeserved reflections on the Provisional Directors of the proposed Cheese and Butter Factory at Feilding. "Progress" ■ays "if the company is allowed to fall through it will, in the opinion of ninetenths of the people of this district be a thousand pities, and a step most of us farmers would deeply regret." Quite correct "Progress," the Directory heartily echo your sentiments, but unless ninetenths of the *pe°P le m the district, and most of us farmers (including "Progress,") back these sentiments by taking up shares, more liberally, the. Directory has no alternative. As for starting with insufficient share capital, ia a scheme which necessitates a cash outlay for buildings, plant, wages, and milk, without any prospect of a return for many mouths, and depending on the bank to carry us on, the present Directory cannot recommend sach a cause. The allegation of " Progress" that " the project should not be given up without the appearance of a struggle, by those deputed to carry it through" is most unjust to the Directory who hare gone to a great deal of trouble and incurred a considerable monetary liability, in canvassing the district ia -person, by circular, and by a paid agent, with a very disappointing result. Artemus Ward, at the lime of the Civil War in America, cleverly satirized a section of the community when he wrote, "The Union must be supported and to that end I will sacrifice the last drop of blood my able-bodied male relations have got." Ia the same spirit many, who would he great gainers by the factory, think it ought to be established, and strongly urge upon the Directory, their neighbors, or anybody but themselves, the desirableness of putting their hauds ia their pockets to start the scheme. It would be interesting to know how many shares "Progress" himself holds, in order to see whether he is, or is not, a supporter of the Butter and Cheese Factory, in Artemus Ward's sense of the word. The Directors have taken up more than a quarter of the shares among them, while those who would benefit most, when appealed to assist, say, "O let it get a start first, and then we will help." If all act on this principle, how is the- share list to be filled? -I am, &c, D. H. Macahthtjb.