THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1913. FARMERS AND SELF HELP.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 19 April 1913, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 1913. FARMERS AND SELF HELP.

The effect of strikes upon the primary industries of New Zealand and adjoining States has been the subject of a good deal of discussion of late. The Pastoraiists' Review says that the action of the farmers in Queensland in connection with the recent great industrial upheaval in that State is fresh in the memory. It will be remembered that the farmers there either came down themselves or sent their sons and employees and loaded their own produce, and in this way broke the strike. Recently another object-lesson was tliat of the slaughtermen's strike at the New Zealand meat works. The farmers supplied men from the country, and were quite prepared to fill the boards at all the works, but the strike was killed, and the Union has learnt a lesson, viz., that their members are not indispensable, and there is a point beyond which the producer cannot allow them to go. As a rule the farmer is a good all round man, and it would take most of them only a few hours to learn to kill and dress sheep and lambs ac* cording to export requirements. The time appears to have arrived when the farmers throughout all the States, through their very excellent Associations, should enrol a regular bajid from among themselves, and be prepared at any time to send gangs down" to the oitieg to .not only discharge trucks and load the ships, but to kill and dress their sheep and cattle at the nieat works. A small annual levy each year would build up a big fund to cover all the expense, but it is highly probable that the necessity to u>se it would never come along. Directly the city unions were i aware that the farmers were prepared and had the money to do their own loading, they would be very chary about going on strike. To be jjrepar-

Ed for war is the best way to prevern war. Recently in Sydney the lump ers refused to load wheat, with the result that the whole trade was disogranised and farmers and shipper! loyt heavily. It may be said thai the merchants are tlio main losers, but farmers should remember that al. merchants' losses will be passed or ■to them, .in a lower price given foi their produce next season. Producers says the Beviaw, can expect no sympathy from "Labour" Governments, they are simply nominees of the citj unions, and have to <lo as they ar< told, and that will over load to legis lationi which will increase the burdei the farm ?r has to carry. The farmei and the producers of (til kinds aire, bi the unionist policy; to be ever til* slave of the city workers, and it v. now up to them to endeavour to alte: this state of affairs. Each branch, ac cording to its membership, shouk guarantee to find a certain number o: men; these men should occasionally be called together, eo that they wouk get to'know each other; even a iitth drilling would do no harm, say onc < a month. Arrangements should b< made with the head offices of the associations in the cities, should the} be needed, to liave the men met 01 arrival, and comfortable quarters found for them. As much as possible they should be kept together for pro tection, but there ,is little fear thai they would be molested, and m fact once the unions- knew that such ar organisation was in existence, it if highly probable they would never b< required. Something must be dam at once by the fanners, otherwise will be in a very serious position. It some people imagine that arbitrator is going to settle all this trouble thej are much mistaken. Those who pul the strings have only one objective and that is 'nationalisation witf fixing of prices- for produce, so thej never intend to have peace. National isation is an impossibility, because th< monev could not-be found to bring i [ibout; besides, were it possible 11 would mea.ni that all export wouk -ease because of the high cost of production and handling, and Australia ivould by degrees sink to a very low ■audition indeed, and her production ivould gradually peter out. It is stated that the Almighty helps those vho help themselves, and our producers must now learn that they have mlv themselves to rely upon Ihey . an do it and do it easily, and when they do the producers' innings will ■ome. Too long has it been the poliirians' and town unions innings.