CO OPERATION AND THE FARMERS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1833, 5 April 1884, Page 2

CO OPERATION AND THE FARMERS.

to run cniroK. Sir, — -In a foimoi note, which yon weic kind enough t > inseit, I took occasion to state what, in my humble opinion, the pioposed association should not do. I hope I may be freed fiom the ehaige of presumption, if 1 now mention, as an old settler, a few niafctei- which we hope the association will do ; md fust of all in lmpoitauce to the farmeis i-> the satisfactory disposal of farm pioduue. A few yeai-> ago so little ciopomg wis done that it w.^ a very sini))le matter to dispose of all that was giown. Now times have changed, and when incomplete statistical show that t!6S,ODO woith of faim produce has b>. j en grown this year, it is tune that something like system was established in the dispos x\ of it. At present the Waikato farmers aie like an audience in a hall. When an alarm of fiie is given, all pre>-> eagerly to the door, each regai ding the othn is an enemy for blocking the way, and what might havp been a l.ue and spoedy means of exit t<» ben time's the numbei, if order prevailed, is utterly unable to stand a cuibh ; so it is ■« ith us at hai vest time. We ire all anxious to sell, wheat, oat-, potatoes, chaff, bicou, nni^t go ; no ca--h advance cm be got up m any of those things find we want the money. We do not know, and have no means of ascei taming, what the market pr'c* leally is, or what it may op, even a week hence. The result is that ill produce is sent down lowei in pi ice than it should be, and many fanners Iniruedly dispose of their year's crops, only to find, in in.mv instances that they would have obtained fiom ton to twenty-five per cent, •nore, if they had held for a few month*. This is what we look to the association t'> rectify, with a strong controlling hand, to regulate the supply to the demand, so as to maintain as far as possible a fair and even pi ice throughout the year, to save us from tho-.e tenible commissions and charges which are grinding the Waikato farmein down while they enrich the middle men, who, in an incredibly shoit time, seem to spring from insignificant agents to become laigoinerchants, in marked contiast to their constituents the farmeis. This is one of the things we evpect fioin the association, virive us the knowledge while we sow and plant, that when harvest comes we shall have a povveiful and watchful friend, to sec that we suffer no injustice ; then you will see what the Waikato can produce and land will have, what you say, Mr Editor, ti ue enough, it now has not, an annual and permanent value. — I am, &c, Whatawhata Farmer.