To discover what is the cause and what the cure
of such a condition would appear to be one of the most stringent of national obligations. Perhaps Lord Bledisloe will explain the contrast when he has had sufficient experience of our antipodes, the land that is most widely removed in distance and the nearest in affection ? He has spent a great part of his life and energies in studying such questions, and has himself made practical experiments, suggested in the first case by experience in Denmark. Now within the next few months a joint enquiry among all classes is to be held by the Ministry of Agriculture, and the National Farmers' Union, who will take part in that symposium (which is to be held in private), have already through their new President hinted that their solution is that amble land shall be subsidised, as quite certainly will not be done. Neighbouring countries, especially Denmark and Sweden, where the climate and soil are distinctly inferior to ours, do well. Land has increased in price, owing largely to the value of exports to England. It is no good whatever blinking the fact that they can do that because their methods are better. They have changed with changing conditions, and we have not. The social differences are as distinct as the economic and technical ; and the chief is that a very minute part of the work is done bythose whomwe call agricultural labourers. I have been in a number of Danish villages where no single householder knows a labourer as such. They were all farmers.
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