The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1880.

Temuka Leader, Issue 310, 28 October 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1880.

There lias been muck talk lately about the bad times and the low price of dairy produce. Butter, it is said, was never so low in the Colonies, or at horoe—4d per lb being quoted as the raarkel price of that article. - Potatoes also are at an almost unprecedentedly low figure. This, with the low price of oats still ruling, drive farmers almost to despair. No wonder, therefore, that some of them make extravagant statements, such for instance as, “We have Julius Vogel to blame for all this ” Now, we remember, when plain Mr Vogel was sitting in his editorial chair, potatoes were lying in Christchurch, pitted up six feet high against the wall, literally rottening, because there was no market for them. Next year they rose to £8 per ton. So has it happeneii with other commodities. We recollect a farmer reaping a good crop of oafs, and, after paying £d for thrashing and 7d for cartage to Timaru, he could only obtain Is 9d per bushel for them. If we take into account the high rate of labor, and the heavy expense incurred before these oats were stacked, it would be found that la a bushel now is equal to Is 9d then. The following year oats were in great demand at 5s at 5s per bushel Such fluctuations take place in every country, aud a 1 most in every class of goods ; and there is no help for it but to bear with it. Although very high prices are not to be expected next season, it is more than probable that payiug prices will be obtained all round. Oats, except feed oats, will be cleared out of the Colony before next harvest; barley, of good quality, is also now very much diminished in bulk. Along with this, we have to put the groat redumion in breadth sown in oats or barley this season, which caunot now be increased, and we have also to remember tb it, not only in New Zealand, bit in almost every country in the world, great abundance prevailed last season. In New Zealand, iu particular, the news was daily chronicled of unprecedentedly large yields. The season was u most favorable one, and good crops was the result. Ought we to expect another such favorable season ; if so, it may be stated that it seldom has happened, in any country, that two unprecedentedly good seasons follow each other. Is there not, therefore, reason to hope that the coming harvest will realize good prices. Let us see, however, what Sir Julius Vogel has had to do with it. So far as South Canterbury is concerned, it has no cause to regret Sir Julius Vogel being in New Zealand. True, we bad railways pro* jected, and even a commencement made with some of them, before he cogitated over the great Public Works Scheme. But what were they 1 simply feeders to Christchurch and Dunedin. The outlying districts would not have been reached, and the great muss of consumers, who are now settled in New Zealand, would still be living in misery in the old coun'ry, or transplanted to America, but for the railways south of the Rangatata. What would be the value of rural land, if we had no rail way ? Many farms that are uow considered good value at £l2 to £ls per acre, would never got beyond £5, and sheep then ranged from Is 61 to ss, as the top price, for ordinary Merinos. Cattle did at times rise to equal or higher prices than they command at present; but there is no denying that the Public Works Policy, given to the Colony by Sir Julius Vogel, laid the basis for the future competency of many a hard working man. Surely, then, it is not just to charge Sir Julius with all tile ills that wo have to lie under at the present time. Few -people were blind to the fact that a re-action would set in, and that, after a period of such good limes, when money was spent by the million, and goods of all sorts were in demand at exorbatant prices, it was easily to be seen that this state of things could not last; but, because we are brought back to moderation and thrift, are. we to blum& the great mover of that which gave New‘Zealand a name and a place amongst the Nations of the earth. Courage we say , let us one and all put our shoulder to the wheel, instead of sitting down with folded liapda and crying that the country is ruined. Let us, dach and all, try to device the best lever to raise it' up again. Our. sheep farmers, or squatters, are enjoying times of it. Let ojjr agricultural farnjbrs also bestir themselves. If the prices of grain dr ether produce cannot bo raised, to leave a large profit, they must study bow to grow at;less cost, and manual labour limit be kept at. a lower rate 1 Superior appliances must be resorted to in order to to lesson* the necessity jfor manual labour. If this were done, arid farms worked in shifts, ns in the older

countries, the breadth of land under grain crops would not be so large. Sheep farming, oh a small scale, would be more resorted to, the produce from which would be more easily exported, and always command a good cash price. Hams and bacon if well a ad properly'fed and cured, Would always command a good price. -If butter or potatoes won’t p-ay, shorten the supply and the price of what is to sell will rise. We iee no reason why farming should not pay. When wool keeps up, and ham and bacon keeps up, even at much lower rates

'.<■ ’ iliey pay., JTt* than the present, look too r^cii misfortune is agricuitu* to grain growing.