FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 February 1922, Page 8

FARM AND DAIRY.

UP AGAINST IT. THE FARMER’S POSITION. Writes our Puniho correspondent: — The financial crisis Which is facing the farmers at present is causing a great deal of worry. The position is absolutely the worst the farmers have ever experienced, and it will take all the economising they can do to pull them through. There are fully fifty per cent, of them that are nigh bankrupt, and can see no prospect of pulling through. Although land did not fetch very high prices in these parts, the pinch is being felt all the same. There are very few, if any, farms that can be run to pay expenses, let alone anything else, at tenpence a pound for butter-fat, with farm commodities at the present rates. It takes a shilling at least, and then there would be nothing left at the end of the season. As showing how big a difference it makes in the cheques, a farmer s cheque from fifty odd cows for December, 1920, amounted to £193 at 2s. This, year the cheque for the same month was £BO, a difference of £ll3 for one month only, so you can imagine what the loss will be on a season s tally. Not only has biitter-fat dropped, but the side lines, such as pigs and calves, have come down well over a hundred D er cent. Pigs this time last year were worth 8d per lb as baconers; this year they are worth 3£d. Jersey calves were worth £3 dr £4 last, year; now they are worth from five to ten shillings. The cost of running a farm has dropped very little, not much more than 20 per cent., if as much as that, so you will gee how farmers are faring. There are many who are quite prepared to run their places for nothing, if only they are allowed to retain them, and others who are leaving their farms and letting them take care of themselves. Farm laborers are being put off every day in this district. tVe are very pleased to see the Government have wakened up to the seriousness of the position, and are finding a Wil v to help the farmers through. Let ue hope they will not be too long over * The question of reducing the wages of factory hands has been brought up. but it is‘stated they cannot be altered ' until April, when the award expires.