THE WEALTH OF TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1917, Page 2

THE WEALTH OF TARANAKI.

To the Editor. Sir,—ln a recent) article on the above appears a par/ to the effect: "Taranaki land, wliieli has only been scratched so far. 'could easily support a million people." Thoi'e's not tlie slightest doubt it could support twice that manlier, but to place a couple of thousand extra is impossible under the existing land laws, which permit ir.cn to gobble up farm after farm or section after section adjoining the;;' origins:! holding. Surely the lesson taught by the war is not to be thrown away. Cur race battled for years upon years against the land-own-ership of tlie big men and populated all sorts of colonies in the effort to gain the freedom desired, but tho old microbe of "get-'rich-quick" .would not permit evolution on the right lints, hence we in New Zealand have developed the very injustice which caused the mc-n of 70 years ago to leave their native, land. Where are we to place a couple of million in New Zealand under existing conditions, let alone r, million in Tawr.aki?' Where have we of to-dav made provision for the growing generations—those of the immediate future, even? Caif it be done under the existing land lawn? The fact is that at the present time we liavo too few producers on the ip.nd compared with non-producers, ar.d the time is now to rc-vise our methods and opinion". We have introduced in cur schools a system to encourage interest in agriculture, and a lot of money is spent in obtaining the best cf tutors for tho young fry. All ssrta of ercouragement is given for the practical side, end it cc.n be said that hundreds throughout the Dominion are preparing themselves for agricultural life cu rr.oro up-to-date scientific methods than the c!d-tin;o farmer cf to-day, But where are we to place tliem? Surely the system at present gaining approval 01" the public and costing thousands is not going to fee dubbed a farce or that the salaries paid the efficient instructors at) present employed 13 being paid just to find nice easy biilets for certain gentlemen. Who will say that a revision of existing matters is not necessary? Can the child of a poor man (no matter how clever as a student) obtain land whereby lie can use his cleverness in the Science of production, which means benefit, to the whole community? Then why waste thousands of pounds in teaching agriculture when. there's not the rlighiest chfti'co of those being taught having the opportunity of working Recording; to their ability as developed per means -of scientific education? Or is it flint the whole country is 'asked to provide these thousands of cash jr.qt for (lie benefit of a few? It is natural for man (c have grour.d to produce foodstuffs. Where or how ran the thinking man cf the town villi a big family but with iriile er.sh obtain a foothold on land for the purpose? ts lie to take his wife and family 011 to land standing on "end—practically the only kind available? Is lie to pay as high as £SO per acre for land of which there is a limit when he has but, limited cash ? Or shall it be that he and his arc to become workers of land for tlie benefit of those lucky enough, to obtain it in the cf.ri-y times ar.d whose value he of the town has enlianced through State enterprise? The prospect held out to future generations,' if' our system of holding land is perpetuated, is that they come practically serfs to landowners —the very thing their grandfathers left the Old Land to avoid. And, with nil our education, tho present generation still go cn as if the land they now hold is to bo of use to them in the hereafter? This horrble war has opened avelnics of thought in many respects, and no doubt extreme changes will occur in' many tilings, but I'll maintain that the most important to be revised is the systeiu of land ownership, and 011 that question lunges the success of all other reforms. If we in Nev/ Zealand to-day really have the well-being of our children at heart; if we wish to/show what "patriotism'' is; if we really believe in the destiny of our fair country as a comer of Paradise, as 1 evidenced by "God's Own Country." it devolves upon us to lay the foundation quickly. Can we do it under the existing land laws? T.et tiie man with proving children look to it that he become acquainted with what is being done in some countries at the present, time towards the solution of the land question in the interest of the masses' (Yucatan, for instance). Let the Tress of our country fulfil its mission as an' educative factor, without fear or favor, and I'll warrant but a few years may pass when Taranaki will be rapidly on the road of increasing population, production and happiness. Let. those scoff who may. It has to come; why not let us see to it in our time? Much flapdoodle is given out regarding laud for soldiers. We are going to turn them into bee farmers, fruit producers, poultry farmers, and we will settle them on areas of ten acres, eic. Oh, yes! And why are not. the public given information as to whose money is to be used for the purpose? We hear of fancy prices being pnicl for certain farms here and there, and I presume the soldier will have to pay for it. 11 sounds nice and good, this provision being made, but surely we have a right to know the how and the why. We hear of syndicates being forpied to buv up farms of those called upon to do their duty, and 1 say it is a standing di-gracc !o 1110 =0 of us remaining to stand by and let such be done. If such is allowed when the country claims the, physical powers of all fit or able, then truly the acme of hypocrisy is reached" when we mouth by speech or through the Prcs about "patriotism." What is "patriotism"? 1 am, etc., JOn IS. SIMPSON". | Durham Road.

IMPORTANT TO DAIRY FARMERS. To the Editor. Sir, —That great speech by the world's boss man, Lloyd (leorge, thrilling one like the rattle of the war drum, presaging for England groat future sacrifices, and referred to uy you in conjunction with the Eitham meeting, contrasts vividly with the squeaking before-you-are-hit speeches (Messrs Okey's and Powdrell's excepted) made there, when the winning of the war was quite a trivial matter, a sort of side issue compared with the turning out of produce, or in plain English, getting rich quick on war profits, otiicrwi.se blood money, and there would have been a painful pause in the proceedings if some common-sense person had asked the chairman what value land and cheese would be if we doubled our output and lost the war. Who is to fight for our lands and keep our women from being outraged if the boys are kept hack? Every farm should have its lighter at the front, and those people who have no one should pav land--men lighting tur honor. Why, with few exceptions, do only rich people apI near fur their son.-;' Tocr niea, in sur-

row and sadness, see from two to six sons go away without a murmur. Why blaino the Appeal boards when, a's Chairman Evans said, "We are not here to study likes or dislikes tut to send every fit man away"? Was there a man in the room who was not hundreds or thousands better off than in pre-war days? While to break the painful pause the same level-headed questioner could have stated that these panic meetings are entirely uncalled for, outsiders treating tliem as so much hot air. One Wairarapa man remarked in the train while reading the report of the meeting in the Daily Nctfs, "What a hungry lot of cows these Taranaki eockies are, anyhow!" There are plenty of people to do all the farming, lighting and factory work (the three Fsj without the mothers, sisters and daughters of soldiers committing slow suicide, as many are doing by working themselvesto death,for what about the hundreds of married men m towns who only want a chance to get into factories—tho chance being a house. One factory had 24 applications, another G1 applications, all married men, and why are hundreds of half-castes allowed to 101 l about all day? And there are those thousands that foilow up the racing game and tho thousands, of bov.; ar.d girls at high schools and colleges wiio would fie made into men and women if. they had to buckle to, for every two of them could easily milk 50 cows with, machines. Also, what of all the retired farmers? Let tliem answer their country's call and break in some of the new hands. Then we have thousands of Australians thrown out of work by stoppage of borrowing anrl who want to go to England and Ireland to take on navvyiiig, go until these sources of national power are worked out, let us have no more whining about tying up primary industries, coal-mining- being really the industry the stoppage of which would cause us to shed real tear-,. Wo have got into the bowling and golf habit, the motor habit, the early "retiring from farming habit, and the racing habit, but the ominous remarks from all the appeal tribunals, backed up bv farmers' union presidents, that racing must stop, point to an early cold snap in that line. Our dinner pails are too full, as the Yanks express it. We want the other fellow to do the fighting, and, incidentally, the paying, too, for from twenty platforms have I stated that the poor man is fighting and the poor man is paying, but the income-tax is trimming the locse.ends a bit. Tho Appeal Boards are "hardening up" through so many tales of liar&hip being rung in on them. One If.uveva man .wanted his son enerp'iiod Ictai: n he was breeding pedigree cattle. Vv'c" '-ir, Ido not. want to p;;t niysolf m the picture, but. all my sons are gone to the front. I breed pedigree cattle; my l.'O cows are milked on shares. and I look after dry caitle en tw oilier places, and not liavIhe mo tor or ,r«.-i«a habits, I nf '- seii piu ui liir, season 74 acre", crop, except (iriiiing the. in,'seed, -o what J ear do others can, and I won't see sixty again. I come now io the point of importance, getting this season's cheese away instead of planning kn nE:;t year. Do suppliers actually, know that* the manufacturer is responsible for condition to point of shipment, i.e., f.o.b. Wellington; that ihe hiils of lading are all endorsed, ''cheese, "bliek, mouldy and heated,'' as wiil'be w en fror.> the undermentioned paragraph from th? X.D.A.'s oihoiai .letter. 1 hear of a Taranaki settler who has evolved a plan—it has been termed an inspiration—by which, without, drawing on refrigerated tonnage, cheese can all lie got away in three months. lam told he is in cable communication with the' Imperial Government so more will be beard of it. Meanwhile, next to sending more men to win the war, getting those 380,000 "black, molddy and heated cheese" that arc stowed away everywhere, even .in the brewery, away is the question for every hour of the day.—l am ,etc., W. R WRIGHT. Raliotu, March S. (Extract). Shipment;.—The first steamer to lift Government cheese was the s.s. Tainui, which sailed on January 1-fl. The bills' of lading were claused 'by the shipping company n s follows; "Cheese black and mouldy and showing signs of having been overheated." 'tactically every bill of lading obtained this season has been claused in this way, and. has been accepted by the banks and merchants without demur. The Government, however, could not accept the Tainui's bills of ladin* wit-limit a letter of indemnity to in" demnify them against all'claims which might arise. This was refused. 'Finally, on February 1, they accepted these bills on condition that should any of the cheese- turn out unsatisfactorily such cheese were to be handed to the agents of the factory in London.' This"was agreed to, and no letter of indemnity was given. We arc of opinion that nothing further will be heard of the matter. In the meantime the Kiar Ora Middlesex, Port Alma and Rotorua had taken _ shipments from different ports, and bills of lading were held up in the' -ame way as those of the Ttainui. Thev were, however, all accepted by tlic Go"vernment.