OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 May 1939, Page 3

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

FARMERS & COSTS THE NEED OF SYMPATHY. (To the Editor.) Sir—Speaking at Feilding recently Mr Mulholland said that the farmers had lost the sympathy of the public, and in short should do something to regain that sympathy and be reinstated on Mother public’s knee. We farmers are too slow at grasping an opportunity, and what an opportunity has been lost. Last Sunday was Mother’s Day. The weather was kind, the public’s heart was warm, the stage was all set, but the actors missed their cue. The stage? Why the Park Oval. And the actors? Mr Mulholland supported by local “Perry Street Croondrs” standing in a little crying ring” singing “Sympathy.” But the opportunity has been lost, so may I in all sincerity be allowed to explain to an unsympathetic public some of 11-ipcp rncfq Yes, we farmers are ruined again, this time by costs. Of course we’ve been ruined before. Why, it used to happen regularly every year as far back as I can remember, and Grandfather says it was just the same in his day, only worse. Now the Farmers Union, of course, is a non-political body; let that be clearly understood by the unsympathetic public, and no one has a little axe to grind, dear me no, so when Mr Mulholland says costs have ruined us, costs it must be, and little things like inflated land price's and low prices for stock don’t matter one little bit. No, Sir, it’s costs. Why, there’s an award for farm workers. Ridiculous! Over two pounds a week for the pleasure of milking cows seven days a week. Why, Grandfather never was paid more than fifteen shillings, and if that was good enough for GrandfatherThen there’s the monthly instalment to find for the new car and the electric washing machine and the new wireless set. Of course we couldn't really afford any of them, but the wife said if'the neighbours could afford them with five cows less than us, so could we. Now take clothes. Why, a few years ago we'got twice the wear out of a pair of pants, even if they were a bit patched by the time Christmas came. But that was before the wife joined the “Institoot.” There ain’t no patches now, Sir, and to get the same amount of wear out of the old pants now, means being afraid to turn back on to anybody, even the dogs. Increased costs? Not that I’ve anything against the “Institoot,” Mr Editor. Why, at one meeting the wife learnt how to make an apron for a shilling and it didn’t cost a penny over five shillings for benzine for the car either. Then last spring the wife began to receive invitations to garden parties, which meant a new rigout suitable for the occasion, and the neighbour’s wife is some dresser and looks well in a fur coat. Extra costs? The garden parties fizzled out after the middle of October and no more are likely to be held till 1941, when more increased costs can be expected.

On top of all this, there’s the recent increase in the price of newspapers. Now we simply must have our newspaper, because we farmers are mostly full of misery in the morning, and we get lots of sympathy in the paper, especially from the National Party. Even in the slump the then Government gave us loads of sympathy, but what has the present Government given us? A guaranteed price that will give us a paltry sixteen pence a pound for butterfat and all these increased costs, when we would far sooner go back to the good old days of sevenpence and sympathy. Why, without the paper, Sir, we wouldn’t know where we stood. Why, last week I went over the ledger and it appeared that my profits had increased on last year’s. Oh, the dreams I had that night, but when I read my paper next day I found I had really lost pounds. This proves that figures can lie and I’ll have to consult one of “the lawyer chaps” as dear old Grandfather used to say and find out what’s wrong. More costs. Then there’s the predicted rise in the price of tinned fish, etc., owing to the import restrictions and that’s going to hit us farmers pretty badly. It’s not exactly the restrictions I object to, but the rise in price while the supply lasts. You see the wife gets home fairly late from -these “Institoot” meetings and last year-she wore out two tin-openers. Perhaps that’s one of the competitions, Sir —greatest number of tin-openers used in a year? Anyhow no prize came to our place. Of course there are lots of other increased costs, but I fear to transgress further on your valuable space. Hoping that these few facts about costs will help the farmer to regain a little sympathy in an unsympathetic world, and thanking you for publishing same. —I am, etc., NOT UNDERSTOOD. ' Mount Bruce, May 15.