CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 October 1920, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY. (To the .Editor.) Sir,—As !n all occupations in New Zealand dairying is progressing. All business losses through miscalculation, accident or fluctuation In the money market cause rise and fall in B»od3. At present goods nearly all round have doubled in price, and In numerous cases gqne beyond that. Are farmers (not speculators) getting a fair profit with just comparison of other occupations? They labor as do town laborers, without that spare time an active town man can spend so advantageously in his kltcl'cn garden. Farmers cannot afford to live on eggs and bacon, as some writers seem to think, though through necessity they commonly did many years ago (pioneering days when, if a market could be got, butter was 4d). About stocking farms. Would a man in town who through progress of business was aa quickly a» possible getting in better stock tolerate vulgar Interference in that direction? As regards the precent price of hatter, none argue further If advised to try the butter business. High priced land will boom the towns and enrich them much In advance to the farming profit, which has t>» bear heavy mortgages and work its way out through uncertain seasons. New Zealand is In the grip of labor extremists, Idle and otherwise, whom an Infirm Government have pacified with a dummy lathed with butter-fat—l am, etc.,

TOLERANCE. Stratford, Oct. 26, 1920. BUTTER PRICES. (To the Editor.) Sir,—l trust you will permit me to say a few words In reply to your footnote to my letter in this morning's News. (1) As to bias. I lave no bias against the dairy farmer as such, nor have I any wish to see him deprived of a proper return for his labor. What I have a bias against Is the soulless system of greed and rapacity which in one of the worst results of the war. I do not say, of course, that only farmers are profiteering; far from it. I was drawn to the question of butter prices merely because of the absurdity of a lot of the evidence given before the Butter Committee. Even tie Prime Minister, when speaking in the House, was appar-' ly ashamed to adopt the evidence, for he merely took the ground that the only question in dispute was whether .farmers should fet the full price In the world market for buter sold in New Zealand, or not. (2) As to i lie farmer having been exploited owing to the commander; first, in any case, tie butter commandeered was, and still is "the exportable surplus" (see this day's News). Now, for the butter sold In New Zealand the 'farmer has had a fair price all through. In regard to the "exportable surplus," from the outbreak of war he also got a fair price, and also the trouble of exporting it taken off his shoulders while, if there had not been any commandeer, and if men tad not risked, and, in many cases lost, their lives In transporting it lo the Old Country, it would have rotted in New Zealand, and they would have got nothing. . It is ono of the most cynical, not to say disgraceful, things that, while on the one hand Mr. Massey and his windy henchmen were talking of "the last man and the last sl'Illlng," Mr. Massey, in his capacity as commercial traveller for the producing Interests, was straining every nerve to get a few pence more per lb. for butter, etc., and harassing the authorities at. Home about shipping when they were at their wits end to utilise the ships available; and he actually had "nerve" to state that unless more was done in regard to New Zealand produce the loyalty of the people here would be strained. So much for the exploitation of the farmer. In regard to your reference to the evidence given before the Butter Committee, which you advise me to read, if you had recollected my first letter on this matter you would have known that I had read it and I think I have previously mentioned a long defunct Biblical character in connection therewith. Hi-, if course, did not have the advantage of giving evidence before a gathering of politicians, but before oni> who knew—consequently he died. If some of the plausible geatlo.di: of to-day were faced with the satm. .isk, proßte'.-:In» would soon bo played out. —I am, etc.,

Now Plymouth, Oct. 2C, \K». [We owe an apology to our readers for printing the above farrago of misrepresentation. We would but explain that tho dairyman did his full share in the fighting as well as in keeping up production, and never complained of the prices ho got until he found that instead of the public at Home being benefited by the cheap prices for butter and cheese—and the same applleu to meat—the middlemen and jobbers were receiving the benefit, while producers from other parts of Hie, Empire, notably Ireland—not to speak of foreign States—had practically a free market and got market rates. Another point, once you deny the fancier market value for his produce, he will turn his land to a. moro profitable purpose, and the last stage will be worse than the first. For instance, keep down the price of butter, and he will turn to cheese, casein or pig-raising, and then there would be insufficient butter to go round local consumers. Exactly the same principle applies to the worker, who will dispose of his' cervices in. what he considers to be his best market. And who can blame him?— Ed.]

BOROUGH LOANS AND TRAMWAYS. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Under the above heading "Vogeltown Resident," writes criticising the action of the Westown Progressive League in deciding to oppose the loans for tramways extension. In the first place I would remind "Vogeltown Resident" that although the meeting was convened by the Westown Association, It was a public meeting ot ratepayers, and was attended by a number of ratepayers who were not members of the Westown Association. The meeting was absolutely unanimous in carrying the resolution. Hid "Vogeltown Resident" been present and heard the opinion of those who had travelled in the rallless trolleys he would, I am sure, think twice before advocating them for New Plymouth, and, like ourselves, would prefer to see our present electric 'bus system continued until such time as we can get the extension of our present system of tramways, a. gsetem that is admitted on all hinds as the best, I am' pleased to see that the Council propose calling a public meeting of ratepayers on Monday next to discuss these matters, and I hope the meeting will be largely attended and the varleus proposals fully discussed.—l am. etc., I. D. SOLE. New Plymouth, Oct. 27, 1920.