THE CO – OPERATION OF FARMERS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2297, 13 August 1881, Page 3

THE CO - OPERATION OF FARMERS.

It must bo most gratifying to all true ■wishers for the prosperity of the country as a whole to note the success which has attended the starting of the Farmers’ Co-operative Association in the district. As a body, perhaps, farmers are more difficult to bring together for tho purposes of co-oporation for mutual benefit than any other class of people. Except at rare intervals, they pursue avocations as it were individually. They have no occasion, like merchants or other traders, for frequent intercourse, and it is only on such occasions as ploughing matches or agricultural shows that they get together in any large numbers. It is true that, to a large extent, the establishment of Fanners’ Clubs throughout the country is in some measure breaking up this feeling. Indeed, tho North Canterbury Farmers’ Co-operative Association owes its birth to the zeal of the Farmers’ Club. Turning now to the general aspect of tho question, we find that by means of co-operation, a very considerable sum of money is saved to the farmers. Here at once is an addition to the national resources. That means more land cultivated, improvements in machinery, and breed of stock introduced ; all of which, though bonefitting tho individual, also benefits tho whole people. Again, this co-operation opens up for our produce markets, which even the enterprise of onr merchants have as yot failed to reach. We find tho Timaru Association doing business in tho export of grain to all parts of the world. Its operations aro not confined to tho United Kingdom, bat extend to America. Hence, through this movement the fame of New Zealand as a food producing country is spread far and wide, and national prosperity must be the result. Therefore it is that wo hope to see the movement now on foot to esta- i blish the North Canterbury Association a thoroughly successful one, and also that each one according to his means will help 1 it to be so.

“A BEAST WITH A BILL.” Anyone who has noticed the remarkable revelations as to the costs lawyers may legally charge, made during the progresa in the District Court of the case of Young v Spackman, will probably agree with the learned counsel for the plaintiff that the time has arrived when an alteration in the law is absolutely necessary. It is a popular fiction—delusion we may say—that justice is free to all. Most of us have seen some very fine writing about justice being equally procurable by the lowliest as well as the highest in the land. But we are afraid that facts —at any rate here in Christchurch —have completely dispelled that illusion. Judging from what took place in the case referred to, justice is only open to men with very long purses indeed. Practically, therefore, except under exceptional circumstances, the ability to obtain redress by means of the law is restricted to those able to pay for it. We do not for one instant wish to see solicitors, anymore than other classes of professional men, do work for nothing. The laborer —whether legal or otherwise—is worthy of his hire. But it does seem a most reprehensible state of things when, to quote the words used by a lawyer himself, <! the law seems framed for the express purpose of enabling one class of people to legally plunder another.” No words of ours could bo stronger than this, coming from a gentleman whose experience entitles him to be considered a very competent authority. We trust, therefore, that the Judicature Commission, when bringing up their report, will include some recommendations as to the alteration of the present law regarding costs.