THE STRIKE EVIL ON THE LAND

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4305, 17 August 1921, Page 4

THE STRIKE EVIL ON THE LAND

A.good suggestion is put forward by a correspondent in "The Pastoral Review” with a view of getting at the root of labour unrest and other social evils’ on the land. He maintains that the principal factor operating against a better states of affairs in rural life generally is the ignorance of the average city dweller regarding economics, and his unfounded and prejudice against and envy of the; man who carries the country’s burden, and from whom he has his being. As it is obviously no use attempting to educate this section of the community through the columns of the press, or rather that portion of it which would allow its pages to be used for such a purpose—owing to the fact that such educative articles would never be looked at by those for whom they would be principally intended j —our correspondent suggests the ad- i

option in this country of a plan on similar lines to one being carried out in the United States. The picture theatres, of which we have many thousands, should.be made the principal propaganda agents, the idea being that primary producers should have moving pictures taken of every phase of farm and station life, showing the difficulties they are continually fighting against in the shape of blowflies, rabbits, wild dogs, drought, etc., the labour involved in preparing the ground and sowing a crop, followed by the too often resultant failure due to a variety of causes, such as rust, heavy rain and wind on the ripening crop, dry seasons, and

so on. Also statistics could be pre sented accompanying the pictures ol different stages of production, showing what each section of the community gets out of the value of the product in the course of its marketing in Australia and in London. Competent and practical lecturers could give brief explanatory discourses and invite questions on the pictures. The producers’ associations might ar- ' arrange for the taking of the pictures, which we believe would be welcomed by' both the theatre proprietors and the public. Most theatres have on their programme at least one or two items of an educational or instructive nature, and these, together with pictures of current events, especially if of local interest, are always very favourably received.