FARM NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 145, 10 April 1940, Page 3

FARM NOTES

PORK EXPORTS RESTRICTIONS REMOVED The removal of the restriction on the export of porkers to the United Kingdom was announced by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon W. Lee Martin. "It will be remembered," he said, "that during the preliminary negotiations it was intimated the United Kingdom Government required baconers only, the weights to be restricted to 120-1801b. The New Zealand Government appreciated the serious effect of this arrangement and made every endeavour to have the restriction ( removed. Following our representations, Britain lowered the minimum requirements to 1101b for baconer carcases and lat-« er agreed to porkers of 60-1001b being included in our exports, with the joroviso that 75 per cent by weight of the total pigs shipped should be baconers of 101-1801b. Sympathetic Treatment. "This arrangement has operated from the beginning .of the season, but with the passing of time I re- 1 alised that evjn this concession was not sufficient if the internal economy of the pig industry of the Dominion was to be preserved. In face of this knowledge I arranged for the position again to be represented to the British Ministry of Food, pointing out that the restrictions already jeopardised the Dominion's ability to supply pig meats

of all descriptions to the United Kingdom next year and that its con tinuance would be most serious. "The Government to-day received a cable from the High Commissioner, Mr W. J. Jordan, stating that the Ministry had agreed to remove the restriction of percentage of porkers to baconers, but expects us to maintain approximately pre-war percentages. It is extremely gratifying to know that our representations on behalf of the producers received such sympathetic treatment, and it should now be possible for pig raisers in the Dominion to dispose of all this season's pigs to the best advantage. It is hoped that it will not be necessary to restrict the export of pork or bacon next season and every endeavour will be made to obtain the consent of the Ministry of Food in this connection." CLEARING FARM LAND PUBLIC WORKS MACHINES TO BE USED LOGGING AND STUMPING Arrangement have been made bj* the National Council of Primary Production for the use of machinery from the Public Works Department for land clearing. In view of the operating costs of the machines it will be necessary for the areas to be cleared to be reasonably close together, and the approximate cost to the farmer will be from £5 to £7 per acre, depending on the conditions.

In a statement, the Director of Primary Production, Mr R. B. Tennent, said that the machinery available for land clearing would be limited to that which would become available through curtailment of the present activities of the Public Works Department. The most suitable machinery consisted of a large 95 h.p. tractors fitted with bulldozers and winches, and at present twelve of these units were operating on logging and stumping work, together with a special disc cultivator which had been imported. It was possible that an additional 18 large tractors might become available, in which case it was proposed to utilise them in groups of two in districts, where suitable work was offering. Logging and Stumping. "The most suitable work to undertake is logging and stumping," said Mr Tennent,, "and in the absence of cultivating machinery this type of work is not practicable. Typical localities for development are the old sawmil'ling areas in Taranaki, Ohakune, Taumarunui, Westland and Southland, where timber areas have been opened up for settlement and quick progress has been retarded by the difficulty of logging and stumping., If there is a sufficient demand within a limited area, roading and draining may be a possible use for the plant, but so far the field for such operations has been too scattered. "Farmers are required to meet the full charges for clearing, and the standard charge for a 95 h.p. tractor is £2 per effective working hour, including the actual travelling time of the machines from the last completed farm to the next,

but no charge is made when the machine is stopped for fuelling and oiling or weather. This works out at approximately £5 to £7 per acr§, depending on conditions, but as the charge i*T on an hourly basis the farmer can watch operations himself and can give directions as to what stage he desires the clearing operations to be carried. Operating Costs. "When it is realised that it requires £2500 to keep each large machine usefully meployed for one year, it will be appreciated that there must be a guarantee of at least 500 acres for clearing, with the likelihood of clearing at least as much again before a unit can be operated in any locality.FFurtherr r the areas for clearing must be reasonably close together. Obviously, therefore, it is impossible to stage demonstrations except under these conditions, which have applied to all previous demonstrations." Mr Tennent pointed out 'that there was an opportunity for clearing several thousand acres at Ohakune —enough to keep the units working there for some years. This wast the type of undertaking that Avas sought elsewhere. Mr Tennent added that in allocating units, preference would be given to localities where the demand was likely to be similar to that described, and that in no circumstances could machines be placed where there was not the scope indicated-