The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons. Motto: Public service. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1920. HOW LABOUR HELPED (?) THE FARMER.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 588, 30 November 1920, Page 2

The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons. Motto: Public service. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1920. HOW LABOUR HELPED (?) THE FARMER.

There have been few more instructive chapters in the history of the Australian States than those dealing with the interests of the rural producers by the Labour Governments of the Commonwealth. While posing us the friend of the "small farmer"—it was a case once again of Codlin being the friend and not Short—Mr. Ryan permitted his Minister of Agriculture and Stock (Mr. William Lennon) to try his 'prentice hands on things of which the latter readily admitted, on one occasion, that he knew nothing about. The Labour Govern- | ment came into oflice on the heels of a severe drought which had played hyvoc amongst the dairy farmers. Production had fallen off by nearly 12,000,000 lbs. in one season, and the faimers were suffering severely. At the same time there was more than enough butter on the Queensland markets to supply the requirements of the State, but when Mr. Lennon assumed office Queensland butter was fetching- 2s per lb. in Melbourne and 202s per cwt. in Brisbane. The first thing Mr. Lennon did was to stop the export, and then he fixed the selling price at 196s per cwt. and commandeered the whole of the supplies, the co-operative dairy associations being denied the right of transacting their own business outside of Queensland. Purchasing the supplies at 196s per cwt., the Government actually /sold it at from 15s tSo Ass under the prices Victorian and London buyers were prepared to offer for it, this insensate policy being continued throughout 191fi. As a result, the farmers were heavy losers at a time when some of their number were compelled to mortgage their holdings to buy the barest necessities for their children. And when they appealed to the Prices Board against the unfair conditions imposed upon them, they were told that, while the position was unsatisfactory and most unfair to the factories selling on the local market, the Board was unable, without the permission of the Labour Caucus, to increase the price !