APPEAL TO FARMERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2586, 25 November 1893, Page 3

APPEAL TO FARMERS.

(Lyttelton Times.) The following letter, written over initials hat are familiar to many farmers in South Canterbury, appears in the current number >f the Canterbury Times : TO THE EDITOR. Siu, —May I address the farmers of New Zealand, through you, and aek them to stop ' uid carefully consider the critical time we ire now passing through in this election of aembtrs for the House of Representatives. Low often have they been toll that they , ice the most powerful body of electors in ;he country, and much more so now, when mey have their wives to help them ? Let hem ci nsioer the tremendous responsibility, for good or harm, that rests with hem at this moment. Let them divide heir forces, and they will be like Samson without his hair, and their opponents will jtep in and win. Do not be led by violent assertions ; they are no argument, however powerful. Do not believe in any speaker, for an orator can make a bad cause appear ilmost just and mislead most people. Do not be misled through the medium of exlitement, from any cause, but, as I said, Stop! Go home to your houses ; sit down, md have a right, good think. Go back for fifteen years, and in all that time what have bhe Conservatives done towards relieving tee burdens of farmers, or in settling the people on the lands ? So little, that the whole time has been one period of depression, while hundreds have been waiting, idle, to occupy the lands. Now, mark well the difference since the Liberal Government has been in office; since the Lamrand Income Tax has taken the place of the Property Tax. The small farmer has nothing now to pay. Laud has been thrown open for selectiou, or perpetual lease, on terms easily within the reach of all—good laud, like Cheviot, at a rental of f per cent, on the value. ’ Farmers, think of that for yourselves and your growing up children, and how long you might have waited with a Conservative Government to give you such a chance. Make up your minds now. Put in the Liberal candidate ; forget the man (if you do not like him), but fight to the last gasp for the party. Put in the Liberal at any cost. Give the Liberal Government one more term of office, and New Zealand will pass on to a position of prosperity never dreamt of by the most progressive man. Look about in

ill your districts ■ see the large estates Lying useless. Picture to yourselves those 3statcs profitably worked at a low rent of 1 per cent on the value. Compare that with your present landlord’s rental, or, think over your unfortunate mortgage at i per cent interest. Think what the Liberal Government has done for you, and what it still proposes to do. Your burdens of taxation are lightened ; you pill have good land open for occupation at an easy rental (up to 040 acres), and now they propose to get ris capital from Home at Lj per cent, Farmers, think of that in comparifp i with your is per cent lisortgages, with the periodical cost of dPOtls the deep sweat of your brow go in 7 to pitteu lawyers—-and learn the position, you can have in comparison witu youv last fifteen years of struggling. If you have promised your votes, write at once and ir call your promise. Every honorable man may change his mind. Stand shoulder to sl'.oul ler in the Liberal cause, aud you will always fed that in helping the cause you have helped your-:elves. Learn for yourselves what the Conservatives have ever clone for us. Bo not go to a Conservative candidate, for ho will assert benches for his party you unfortunately have never felt, and promise advantages you will never see accomplished. Farm' lot mo remind you of a little ««•* .~rs, few yoafs since, i\ iith- ,-sohe of a Conservative tach— ag reminder of of the h— The present Loader .^position —at that time representing an agricultural consituency and a member of the Government (there were no Commissioners in those days)—a-'shted in raisin# the carriage rates uu the railways

just before tne unfortunate fa-mers had to make use c tnem for their grain, and just after the Conservative wool growers bad made use of them for their wool. Farmers, think and compare such things with what the Liberal Uovernmeut has done and will do for u-, and go and give your votes in the right cause, remembering that an inefficient candidate even can effectually help his party, and can do no harm. Use all your power in the Liberal cause by advice and by your last act at the polling place. Help tne cause that has helped and will effectually help you—as most assuredly I shall to the utmost extent of my power.— Yours, &c., „ „ Ealing. R KP. P.S.—As I believe it is the custom of ladies to put their most interesting or powerful items in their postscripts, so in this I will appeal to them: Wives and Mothers, —As long as the Conservatives have been in power the cry has always been, “ What shall we do with our boys >'' Help the Liberals into Parliament and then there will be land and homes for them instead of helplessly loitering at home. Help your husbands. C-uide them, give them no peace till they combine with you to help tnose who have so effectually helped yourselves and families and will continue to do so.