ORGANISATION OF FARM LABOE.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1917, Page 2

ORGANISATION OF FARM LABOE.

To tli Editor. Sir, —Reading your article in to-day's paper, I certainly think every word of it was perfectly correct. Talking about organising farm labor in Taranaki—why, Sir, we farmers can't get labor for love or money, and then we read in today's paper of the Taranaki Producers' Oeirimittpe holding a meeting to discuss with llv. T. Moss the best way of organising the labor of Taranaki. No doubt it is all very well indeed to find labor for certain industries. As far as I can judge, each of the board of Trustees will find a working manager to look after the farm while the farmer goei to the war. Oh, how nice! And what about our poor, wives? Are they to be looked after by the manager, too? Oh, dear, 110! No stronger comes on to my farm to look aft<!r the farm and the wife! That is exactly what it amounts to. "NVhat the devil next do the Government want ? Thcie is 110 doubt the war must be won, but the Government must say what they want—farmers or food. Why don't the, Government leave o.ne man to a farm, and if t|ie-farm, needs more than one, apply then to the Board of Trustees for. help? I wonder how much blackberry cutting the working manager would do? I think our farms are in for a rough spin sooner or later if they are to lie left to strangers, I say this, Sir: If the board of trustees can find a man fit to take a farmer's place and work the farm as it should be worked, that man .is fit to go to the war. Talk about the help from a neighbor! Why, it is simply rot; it can't be done! However, I trust somebody else will take this matter up who is more able than I am. 1 really think the farmer!? generally are having tbe devil knocked out of them, but wait on—our time is coming anyhow. No working manager is coming to look after my farm and wife and children. If I have to go to the ( .war up goes my farm for sale, cows and all. In lots of cases tin; farmer wili get knocked out, Everything, of course, will be left to the wife. The second act will be the working man- | ager —but enough said. In conclusion, I Sir, I say one man to a farm, and that man to be the fanner himself.—l am, etc., COW-FARMER. Inglewood, March !).

IXCIJMYOOD AMD THE INCOME TAX. To -the Editor. Sir, —Didn't I tell you so—a real live Moa meeting, wasn't it? If your reporter does not give us of his best, I shall take a hand. I've done it before l —255 yords a minute. Soinething like this, in Macmlay's ''Warren Hastings'' sty If.. There was the acute mind and cultivated intelligence of a Cummings to aid a cocky, floundering in the slqughs of despair and ignorance and through the bewildering mazes of the Finance Act. There was Davie—broken of heart ami with mute and patient watch ever upon the portico of the Cecil—but his tongue spake not. Ah! Sir Joseph, here was lutelity passing the love of woman, and the weight of your income taxes is heavy upon him! There was Mr. Okey, for the wisdom of the Senate and with the content of a kindly heart in all things under the Defence and Finance Acts, radiating forth in sunny smiles upon bedevilled eockies. There was Mr. Kenrick, one moment bewailing the ways of eockies in not pulling together, and the very next amending the resolution, •'aid he, "We must not bring politics into our organisation," Is uot the Finance Act a political Act? Doth it not grievously afflict, us, and must we not accordingly take action—political action—that we may not he driveln from our holdings upon the bosom of blessed .Mother Earth? It may be written that the son of man shall bj betrayed by this Finance Act, but woe unto the men by whom tu'e measure was' passed! The amendment was carried on one voice only, mine. Comical, wasn't it? Not another for or against it. Et tu, Brute! Mr. K. amended the resolution I had moved. Why did lie not support his own? But these trilling mistakes will occur in the best-regulated meetings. Mr. Olcey did not pretend to know as much about income tax as the gentleman who had just sat down after making them such a long speech, etc. Sly old Parliamentarian! Clever, too*! "Touehe, Monsieur:" But 1 paid for the hall aud for the advertisements calling the meeting, and it was only human that 1 should want my share of the good tilings going. Even Mr. Cummings would have a finger in the Die. Of course, Inglewood is in Mr. OUey's preserve; but it is my market town. I am seven miles from it and twenty from my electoral centre, Stafford. In such a centre as this last Mr. Cummings might be acclaimed, but who would know the man from Waitui? Look here: I'll pay half the expense if Mr. Wilkinson and Mr. Okey will stand the other, and at due date and publicly in Stratford deny the proposition when I assert that I "the Finance Act, in 10, is a Ministerial folly, a Parliamentary muddle, and tho cocU.v's deathtrap, economically considered." Anyway, if a Stratford man will wire me Inglewood (collect), not later than Thursday afternoon, particulars as to hall and cost, I will undertake to maintain the above assertion ab mv own expense. The meeting should not be later than Saturday evening next, as the. income tax must be paid by the following Thursday. Qf course, as regards this precious Finance Act it will be a case of "It broke itself." Nevertheless, let me assure my fellow eockies around Stratford that there is yet time for them to give one kick, a strong kick and a kick altogether, and away shall go the Finance Act, HHli.—l a m, etc., KOI'.KRT J. BAKKWELL. Waitui, March 12.