PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20953, 4 November 1939, Page 9

PUBLIC OPINION

As expressed by correspondents whose letters are welcome, but for whose views we have no responsibility. Correspondents are requested to write in ink. It is essential that anonymous writers enclose their proper names as a guarantee of good faith. Unless this rule is complied with, their letters will not appear. HAMILTON RETAILERS (To the Editor) Sir, —May I be allowed the use of your valued columns to address through you a letter to the Hamilton Retailers’ Association? Firstly, I take it, gentlemen, that you are as you. style yourselves, and that the meeting reported in the Times of Wednesday was truly representative of the retailers of our town. Secondly, why did some of the speakers choose to cloak their very sensible and pertinent remarks under anonimity? This is in striking contrast to the attitude adopted by those in the meeting who allowed their names to be used. Some very straight talking was indulged in, but it was all nullified by the fact that no resolution was passed. The Government in power has long since demonstrated the fact that it does not welcome criticism, but is prepared to continue to ride rough-shod over the community. I presume that a copy of the Times containing the report will be sent to each member of the Cabinet, but the latter cannot be blamed if they refuse to take seriously such a halfhearted attempt to stem the everrising tide of socialism that the Hamilton Retailers’ Association justifiably complains of. All that was said was true, but as one speaker, anonymous, be it noted, said, it was necessary to make a stand now. Brave words, but, gentlemen, you did not even go to the length of passing a strongly-worded protest for transmission to those who are crippling your business. Only a few miles away from the place wherein you conduct your businesses, in the Huntly district, the miners have gone out on strike because of a few potholes in a road. You cannot go on strike by closing down your businesses, but you can, with the undivided support of all business men in the Dominion, take such action that would make the Government take notice.—l am, ACTION. Frankton, November 2. COMPARISON OF TAXATION (To the Editor) Sir, —Your correspondent, Mr A. Warburton, states that the followers of the Labour Party detest facts. I would like to know what facts he has given. He saw in a newspaper that the taxes of Australia, State and Federal, were £l7 19s 7d a head (say £18). How does he know that is a fact? Does it include municipal revenue, which in New Zealand is about £9 a head? That is if the revenue of municipalities is taken into account, which I think Mr Warburton must have included to get his £32 a head. I cannot give the latest figures for New Zealand, but they do not increase with sudden leaps to the extent he would imply. Whitaker’s Almanack for 1939 has the latest figures I have. This gives the Government revenue for 1938 as over £36,000,000 —about £22 8s lOd a head (say £22 10s). This excludes post and telegraph and railway revenue, but includes, I presume, interest on that £40,000,000 of State advances, land sales, rents for the Government outside of railway property, also numerous items that certainly cannot be classed as revenue from taxes, as well as the sale of electricity and other items too numerous to mention. So that these items might reduce the amount per head by several pounds. With reference to Australia I notice in Whitaker’s Almanack that the total revenue for the years 1937-8 amounted to £188,967,197, including, I presume, all State enterprises excepting New South Wales, whose revenue from that source was over £26,000,000. These are the figures from which in all probability Mr Warburton has gained his information as far as New Zealand is concerned. Anyway, the average tax paid by Australians is about £27 12s a head on the basis of a revenue of £188,967,197, being the result of taxation. The Minister of Railways when I came to New Zealand always showed a big profit, and used to compare his railways with Australia’s, which always showed a big deficit. The only difference was that in New Zealand the interest on the cost of construction was charged to the general revenue and in Australia it was charged to the railway Figures cannot lie.—l am, etc., W. B. McManus. Matamata, November 2. “WRITING ON THE WALL” (To the Editor) Sir, —The writing is now on the wall that we shall have to fight the combined forces of both Germany and Russia before we shall obtain our objective (to stop aggression and persecution of others). Leaving out any reference to religion, these two happen to be the people who have turned to Atheism and will undoubtedly join forces before it is all over. Russia has already declared there will be no restoration of Poland. Any who are interested in these matters, if they have not read Andrew and Maria Smith’s account of their three years in Russia (and this as late as three years ago) should certainly do so (it is listed in our public library). These two, man and wife, were born American Communists as their parents were before them, and they held important positions in the movement. After reading this book, “I was a Soviet Worker,” it needs no more to show any thoughtful person that both socialism and communism are complete failures as far as the welfare of the under-dog is concerned. It simply means a change of dogs from top to bottom. Naturally the upper dog has much the worst of the bargain when such a change takes place. With both socialism and commun-

ism everything depends on the dictation of one man. You get no change by changing dictators because they are all imbued with the same spirit of suppression of all except their supporters, whereas in democracy we do get a complete change from one policy to another, which under normal conditions should be fully explained before the populace is asked to make a decision. Once a platform has been announced it should be rigidly adhere 1 to. Any departure or addition should mean the automatic end of that administration.—l am, etc., E.CffL Hamilton, November 3. HINDRANCE TO PRODUCTION CTo the Editor) Sir, —Following is an open letter to the Hon. P. C. Webb:— Touching your advice that farmers “should avail themselves of the State Placement Service, where competent officers will deal with every demand for farm labour,” and that “requirements will be met,” I wish to put my experience before you. Once weekly, for the past three months, I have made such application, without success, until last week, when the competent officers mentioned above were glad to be able to supply me with a man of 26 years, eager and willing to work, but so badly afflicted with St. Vitus’ dance that, at times, he was hardly able to stand. He was quite unfit for work, and I found, on inquiry, after a week’s unsuccessful attempts at various jobs on the farm, that his real need, and request, had been for sustenance. To show that my request for a strong, competent farm hand is not a frivolous one, but one vitally affecting production, please note the following points, which are but two of many: (1) Our farm, without topdressing excepting for the hay paddocks, runs 80 dairy cows. Labour being available, I could topdress the whole area and run, say, 100 cows. (2) I keep no pigs, the bye-products from these 80 cows being nil. Labour being available, with 100 cows 1 should tun* out 100 bacon carcases annually. If you will forgive a little persona: biography, I may say that I am a young woman of 29, and although I hold the post of secretary to a manufacturer in a provincial town, and

- travel 15 miles to and from the office | o J daily, I milk half that herd of 80 j e cows before and after work every e day, my sole help in this matter ol t the farm being a Swiss whom I was - fortunate enough to get at the bee ginning of this season. Last season, i although my application for a second e farm hand was in continually, my e sole assistant was a grocer lad, who a until he came to our place had never t milked a cow, neither clipped a y hedge, nor dug a drain, nor topn dressed nor harrowed a paddock. All - these things I taught him during the week-end, by personal example and the sweat of my brow, not his. You will "find, if you care to investigate, that I have been forced to do these things, without option, owing to lack of farming man-power, ! since my father’s death early in the past year. I am not complaining. Apart from the fact that I have not a moment to call my own from before daylight until after dark (I n work a 70-hour week) I am as happy as the day is long. I love my busis ness career and do not intend to give e it up, and our farm, where mother ■t and I alone of all the family are left, 3 is the home that my father made - from the bush, as a young man. Y Neither do I intend to give that to » you, Mr Webb, without a fight. e Apart from having too much to do ! ■ we are “perfectly happy,” feeling as ■ we do that, with the socialists in ! 0 power, worse can come, but it will; a be obvious to you that, on the avail- = able labour, I cannot increase pro- ’ 1 duction. But given just that second s man our farm could, on a conserva- ; e tive estimate, turn out another 6000 " pounds of butterfat and 100 carcases . 1 of bacon. The country needs it, . • Mr Webb. I invite your investiga- * tion.—l am, etc., AUDREY PEGLER. a Hamilton, November 2. t l FAIR DAY’S WORK ON FARM r (To the Editor) e i. Sir, — I do not know whether it is s pity or contempt that your correspondent in tonight’s Times merits, or 1 whether it is the old game of “bear s baiting” he is, or thinks he is, expert in playing. He signs himself “Ex- . Farmer and Ex-Factory Manager and a Happy.” Well, if he is happy we I should not grudge him his happiness, - for I suppose he is in receipt of a i 1 pension and has a pipe. What more

does he want? But I should like to | tell him that all farmers are not j slackers and growlers. ] My husband is up at half-past four, ; also my two daughters. They k j7O cows before 8.30 a.m. and ai n to breakfast at B a.m. (2-cow plant). We have no man as the Government wages were too high to stand costa, interest, etc., and to be able to keep the girls home. After breakfast they are out digging thistles, or putting sodium on ragwort (did farmers in the old days do that? ) while i my husband topdresses, harrows or fences. They are milking again at 4 o'clock, and in to tea at seven, so if that Is not a fair day's work I don't know what is. We have to go to Te Awamutu once a week for supplies, as we are too far out for delivery, except for bread, meat and mail. We went to Hamilton on July 30 last and did not go again until last Saturday, to the show. We go to the pictures on an average of once a month, so if “Happy Ex-Manager” thinks farmers have such an enjoyable time, why don’t he and his ilk come out and do a “fair day’s work”? We are only one family in this district out of many who are in the same position today. Our last man was with us six years, and would have > gladly stayed if we could have kept I paying *ages. We have not a flash I car—only a 1925 model—and I have ! not an all-electric home, just lighting and iron, so I have to light the 1 copper for bath and washing as in the old days. So where the luxury !of farming comes in I fail to see. The only things we get free are the birds’ singing and the air. We are . taxed up to the neck, and have to pull our weight just as the town folks who have not the worry of stock troubles and loss on top of it.—l am, etc., A FAIR DAY’S WORKER’S WITT Te Rore, November 3.