WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 December 1932, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE FARMERS’ LOT., THE CONSUMERS’ PROTEST. (Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, December 15. It loons as if Parliament when it reassembles towards tile .end of' next month will luve to give some further attention to the wheat problem'which, appears to be exercising, more or less, tne whole producing world. A cablegram from the United States this morning announces that a scheme for tho intern_Lion.nl control of wheat production, in order to reduce the world aiip.u.s and so stabilise prices, is in progress and likly to take shape. At a receht meeting of the Alberta Wheat .I'ool, we are tend, many delegates advocated an international wheat board and the Canadian Government was requested to convene a conference of wheat exporting countries to deal with the present marketing situation. Wheat harvesting in New South Wales is now in full progress with a record crop estimated to produce 67,000,000 bushels of grain, mostly 0 f splendid quality.

THE LOCAL HARVEST. Details of the New Zealand harvest are not yet available, but it is certain that the crop will be larger than that of last year and generally of be.tt.-r quality. Increased areas have been sown in the North Island, by dairy farmers who doubted their milking returns and by others who wished to renew their grass. Between them they should materially increasq the volume of the crop. It is certain, however, that when Parliament resumes its labours next month there will be from North Island members protests against the extravagant concessions still extended to the wheat growers. Nor will the wheat growers be the only objects of their criticism. “Why should the farmers be assisted any more than anyone ese?” an indignant correspondent asks in this morning’s paper. The inquiry is not easily answered when put in this fashion.

THE ALTERNATIVE. \“lf u farmer Ims got into a hole through inability, extravagance, or through having bought badly, the only tiling for him to do,” says this authority, “is to face the consequences. The mortgagee 1 would then take over the farm, and would have no difficulty in selling it at present day value to a farmer who coud make it pay ; whereas all the bolstering and subsidising in the world won’t relieve the pog.lion ter the present owner. Somebody lias got to lose; may bo the bank, or some of the stock and station agents; but haven't we all.suffered Josses hitherto unknown ! J There arc thousands of-i businesses throughout the country in | equally bad circumstances as the far- ‘ tilers are, and just as much in need of, assistance. is the Government as much concerned for them as it I;; lor, the man on the land?” j

THE FARMERS’ CLAIM

'file two claims, of course, are not precisely analogous. The average runner is not exactly, situated as is the average shopkeeper. His lot, speaking generally, is much more pre carious than is the lot of the business man. He may plough and be may sow and reap all to no purpose. He may be poorer at the end of bjs labours through no fault of his own. than he was at their beginning. This is the lot of many primary producers in the Dominion at the present time, as it is tin lot of many primary producers, practically, in every part of the world, these are obvious facts, It is the business of Governments, above all things, to see that the burdens of the lean years are equitably distributed among the people on whom they have fallen,