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Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2604, 21 March 1889, Page 2

The lack of public spirit amongst Waikato farmers is simply painful. We know of no other district, in the colony, and we are familiar with most of it, where the same class show so much indifference to their own interests and are so hard to move into taking anything like energetic action to promote the welfare of the industry they follow, and consequently their own. We have constantly dinned into their ears their own backwardness, and pointed out how much in advance of them, in every way, are their brethren elsewhere. As a community the Waikato farmers are wrapped up in their own exclusive selfishness, from which it is difficult to draw them out. Whatever benefit the district has had conferred upon it has bern through the exertions of others, not by their own. If they do make an approach at concerted action it is done in so faint-hearted and incomplete a fashion that it were better left alone ; as for example, the Farmer's Association, which is remarkable for ths mysterious haziness of its existence and transactions. Now, we have other iustnnues before us of this astounding inertia, to give it a polite name. The Show just held in Cambridge, in the centre of tho main agricultural division of the Waikato district, afforded a splendid opportunity for demonstrating the capabilities of the district; yet it will scarcely be credited that, so apathetic were the farmers, that ridiculously few exhibits of farm produce were displayed ; and, but for the noteworthy exceptions of Messrs Gardner, Forrest, Runciman, Watson and Anderson, to whom much credit is due, this most important department would have been practically unrepresented. This is discounting the producing powers of theso counties with a vengeance, and illustrates the manner in which the farmers study their interests by keeping them well before the public! Discouraging as it is to pipe to unsympathetic ears, we will not despair of infusing fresh spirit into a few; and we here take the opportunity of recurring to a subject of great importance to our friends, the farmers, it cannot be doubted that better prices would certainly accrue to them by opening up direct negotiations with buyers in Sydney and Melbourne. We have pointed out before how necessary it is for our farmers to take action in this direction, if they wish to realise equal advantages with their more enterprising southern confreres. A plan has been proposed that they should select one of their smartest men to proceed to Australia with samples of produce, on the strength of which sales could be effected for the bulk. It would be necessary to exercise great care that the bulk was equal to the simple, as the Australian buyers are more than usually cautious iu examining parcels. There is every reason to believe that a large demand for all kinds of grain an."l produce will continue in both those places we have named, and that the exports thithsr from this colony will be extensive. In order to provide against the contingency of bulk shipments being rejected as not equal to sample, and thereby become a source of expense and loss to the shippers, it will be seen that, not only are Messrs A. Buckland and Go. making arrangements for the establishment of an agency at those markets for the disposal of farm produce, but Mr Robert Lamb, who is so well-known, also announces in this issue that he is opening up business in the same direction, and wo are sure that, with his great experience, the interests of the farmers will be carefully looked after. With all these opportunities before them, there should be no want of incentive on the part of the agricultural community ; the way should be clear to them to go in and win.