FARMING WORLD

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21214, 10 September 1940, Page 9

FARMING WORLD

Countryman’s Troubles The farmer has always had his troubles. Not only has he to contend with the ever-changing moods of Nature but frequently he has to put up with rules and regulations drafted by someone high in authority, who has small knowledge of the producer’s thousand and one difficulties. The town dweller who often shows gross misunderstanding of rural problems has it probably firmly fixed in his mind that the farmer is a natural grumbler. It is only human nature to grumble at times and it cannot be fairly said that the farmer is worse in this respect than any other member of the community. Farmers’ complaints are more exposed to the glare of publicity because they are compelled to voice their troubles at public meetings, whereas workers in other industries can voice their’s in the dignified calm of an Arbitration Court.

The farmers’ problems have been accentuated because of the war. He is prepared to make sacrifices in order that farm production can be increased, but there are few outside the farming community, who appreciate fully just what sacrifices many farmers have been forced to make. Many a farmer was left high and dry shortly after the outbreak of war as far as farm labour requirements were concerned. His sons left to join the fighting forces and the farm labourers, too. He was left to make best shift he could by himself with perhaps the assistance of some casual labour which he was often better without. Although those who do not know the position do not appreciate the fact, farm labouring is a skilled job and if there are pigs to be managed the greater amount of skill the job calls for. There may be farm labourers available, but the farmer knows only too well that skilled men are few and far between.

Why doesn’t the farmer train sufficient young men as farm labourers? This is the question often asked by the misinformed, but this type of Questioner doesn’t take into account the fact that often once a man of any ambition at all has garnared all the knowledge he can when serving as a farm labourer he will acquire a farm of his own. The farmer thus loses a valuable man and has to commence training some raw recruit who needs more supervision that he is worth. Some systematic training of young farm workers or some form of apprenticeship is needed if ever farm labour is to be put on a satisfactory footing. Those in authority recognise that all our interests in this Dominion are bound up with the farming industry, but this recognition has never been sufficiently transmuted inta tangible appreciation of the farm labour problem.

The shortage of milk cans is constituting the most difficult problem that is facing *he dairying industry in its effort to increase cheese production. It is estimated that the supply from many hundreds of extra cows would be available for cheese production if there were an adequate number of cans. Many butter suppliers, who switched over to cheese at considerable inconvenience and at no small expense, have found their good work nullified to a certain extent because of the milk can shortage. If the Waikato is to produce the maximum amount of cheese of which it is capable then the responsible authorities must make some provision for overcoming the present problem.

(By “Stockman”)