"OUR PATRIOTIC FARMERS."

Taranaki Daily News, 2 July 1918, Page 5

"OUR PATRIOTIC FARMERS."

To the Editor. Sir, —May I be permitted to draw attention to the report in your issue of the 22 mat of the Dairy Association meeting at Palmerston? The Chairman states inter alia, that for the ensuing year the Australian Association was prepared to sell butter to the Mother Country at 151s per ewt; that New Zealand Association wanted 198s and sent a delegation to Australia to endeavour to succeed in inducing them to increase to 196s The delegation succeeded up to 175s only. That on its return another meeting was held by the New Zealand Association and insisted on 196s and cabled to Australia to increase such amount, but Australia (who has at least a little shame) would, only go to ISOs. The price obtained last year was 157s per cwt. The concluding remark, "The Association desires to do all in its power to assist the Government in this present struggle," is very amusing and to say the least o? it, mere hypocrisy. Now, Sir, I would like to ask "Why are we lighting?" Is it not to suppress the very underlying principle in the Association's tactics —greed? The whole of Europe is being saturated in blood simply on account of the of the German. In a smaller degree this principle is allowed to go on unchecked in, our very midst. What would have happened to New Zealand were it not for the Mother Country? Undoubtedly we would be under a different rule—perhaps suitable to the fanner as both tactics seem to be in keeping with one another. Here we have millions of soldiers alid workers in Britain lighting for our very existence, yet this sort of thing is allowed to go on—bleeding the Mother Country. It is simply scandalous, wanting to increase the price of butter Do the farmers not get enough? Do they want to strangle the hand that feeds them? I think not, but this they are surely doing. The Association says it desires to help the Government—does it know the moaning of the word "help"? —and to this end it has taken up the handsome sum of £IOOO in war bonds and also the munificent sum of £IOO it has given to the YM.C.A huts—l am, etc, PATRIOT.