Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 1893. "Thus is the farmer robbed."

Manawatu Herald, 9 February 1893, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 1893. " Thus is the farmer robbed."

It was very clearly shown by Mr Hutchison that; the sheep tax returner! £18,570 whilst the cost of the department was only £6,747. We remarked in our paragraph "Thus is the farmer robbed." A newspaper established in the Rangi tikei purely to applaud every act of the government, and conducted by a gentleman who has a very small knowledge of country life, suggests that " the Oppositionists stretch the truth to its utmost limits when they endeavour to make out that the farmer is being robbed because it costs a considerable sum per annum to fight the troublesome rabbit; pest." We suggest the following to the newspaper alhuled to. It is true that farmers and squatters suffer by the rabbit nuisance, more than any other dwe lers in the colony, but are they answerable for the nuisance ? We do not think it has been clearly proved who first let rabbits loose and it would be equally just to insinuate that the labourers who make a very good living in killing the rabbits had as much to do with their distribution as the farmers who suffer so mnch from them. We however do not wish to suggest that any, but a few in the early days of colonization, are answerable for this evil, and if that will be admitted, it does appear very similar to robbing the sheepowners when they alone are specially taxed to keep the rabbits down. The government organ appears to glory in the fact that farmers are got at in this way. The whole colony is intensely interested in farmers and sheep owners, as they provide the bulk of the exports and the Liberal Government's idea of appreciation is to overtax them to the amount of close on £12,000! We have here as fair an instance of the " labour party " having the first • dig ' at the objectionable land-owner. It appears to have escaped the view of the editor of the Government Rangitikei paper that the law compels the farmers and sheepowners to go to the expense of clearing the rabbits off their properties, and it is only when they combine and form a Babbit district and again specially tax themselves that the Government award them a portion of the sheep tax, which they have had already paid, as a bonus. Princely liberality ! to tax a man and then if you can persuade him to tax himself again to give him a small portion of the first plunder back. These facts are well known to all country settlers so that it would not have been worth repeating had not such an extraordinary want of local knowledge been shown by a country newspaper. Wo challenge the Mercury to seek the truth about rabbits and taxes from the large number of farmers and sheepowners within the Rangitikei district when we are assured no further astonishment will be expressed by it at our having made the statement that it is in such ways the farmers are robbed.

The Am/ says that Mr William Welch, the Justice of the Peace who gainer! ho much notoriety in connection with the recent Land Board enquiry, lias resigned the Commission of the Peace. Large entries are published for Messrs Gorton and Son's stock sale at Campbelltown on Friday week. More sheep have been added to Messrs Abraham and Williams Pahnerston sheep fair, bringing she number entered to close on 8000. On Tuesday the Wellington Evening Pout completed its twenty-eight year of publication. We congratulate our contemporary on its advancing age, and cordially wish it many happy returns of the day. The font affords a striking instance of the value of independence in a news- I paper, its rivals starting with a mission j from time to time to bolster np some ad- i ministration having drooped and died. In the country we are having many newspapers started to advocate the claims (?) of the present Government to support at the forthcoming election, and if they survive till then it will be as much as many can do, and then tkey will also droop and expire. The first stock sale at Levin will be held by Messrs Abraham and Williams on Tuesday, at Mr P. Stuckey's homestead. The entries are good, there being more than 2500 sheep. Messrs Strang Brothers have some drays and flaxmill plant for sale, the items are set forth in our advertising columns. A stock sale at Feilding by the United Farmers' Alliance will be held on Wednesday. A three-roomed house with quarter acre of land is offered for sale, as a bargain. It is very unsatisfactory to learn that the poll for metalling the road from Shannon to the ferry was not carried. This should make it clear to the Wirokino Road Board that their present advertising arrangements are not of the most satisfactory character. A little, presumed, extra expense, would have been tho means of saving money. Wp are sorry for the disappointment as tho authorities on this side of the river were doing all they could to secure a good road between Foxton and Shannon. By our report of th? Borough Council's meeting it will have boon seen that no further tenders will bo called for metalling Union street. The excuse, a most lame one, made, was that there was no money. It does not say much for the powers possessed for financing by the Mayor when he apprehends a diilicnlty in finding some £10. Old settlers are excellent men but— tliey are behind the times in many instances. What a contrast this affords to the speech made by the Mayor prior to the election. He then saw how the road to the boundary was to h?. made out of the revenue within three years ! ! ! Messrs Abraham it Williams sold every sheep at their Foxton sale, and at price's in advance of t.ho.-e lately ruling at Palmerston. Messrs Strang Brothers have been continually troubled by persons passing through their property at Motoa leaving the gates open, in consequence of which they insert a notice to day that for the future all trespassers will be dealt with by law We admit such a notice sounds disagreeable but those who are acquainted with stock will agree as to tlio amonni' of trouble and loss sucli carelessness now complained of. entails on (he land owner. The Foxton Racing Club's programme for th"ir antuMin meeting in ' pril appears in our columns today. A good meeting should be obtaine I seeing that the total stakes to bo run for amounts to £$15, and tho • iiig' racf has the sum of fIOO to be run for. A business houso in this town is prepared to purchase flux up to July. This is a very satisfactory sign of the market The N.JS- R'-fi'w's travelling correspond dent urge? tho Fox ton Racing Club to adopt tho suggestion wo made a week or so ago. viz., lo connect the race course with the Foxton telegraph office Wo notice nlso that the same writer considers ' Beeswing ' to be a better mure than ' Laitere. 1 The owner of the latter mare asserts that she was in no condition for running on the race day. Time will show who is right. Sir Charles Lilley, late GhiA Justice of Queensland, in the coarse of an interview in Sydney, spoke in terms of high admira tion of this colony, an 1 referred eulogistical ly to the personnel of tho Ballance Ministry. He said he found that as a Democratic community New Zealand was far in advance of the other Australian colonies, and the people had every prospect of enjoying solid comfort and prosperity in t«e future. The Rev L. M. Tsitt has informed his American Tour Committee that recent events have rendered the obtaining of tne direct veto of ouch paramount importance that he has determined to give up his proposed trip to the Prohibition States, and to spend the time between this and the next Parliamentary election lecturing throughout New Zealand. This is another instance of how the poor farmer is robbed. Altogether 16 stacks have been burned near Rakaia on three farms within a distance of 10 miles. There is no insurance. Inceniiarisni is certain and it is also oertaia that more than one was at work.