HEAVY DROUGHT LOSSES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 50, 8 March 1946, Page 5

HEAVY DROUGHT LOSSES

FARMERS seek compensatory GRANT EAST COAST DAIRY ASSOCIATION MEETING WIDESPREAD CONCERN FELT The disastrous effect of the drought upon the dairy produc-

tion figures of the Bay of Plenty, was emphasised at a widely attended meeting of the East Coast Dairy -Association at Whakatane last Wednesday when the following resolution was carried unanimously : That in view of the serious loss to dairy suppliers through the drop in production in the present season, as compared with the average production of the past three years the Government be asked to meet the difference by an increased payment per pound butterfat, to be charged against the National Emergency Fund, which was raised to meet such disasters as earthquakes and floods, and on which drought losses should have an equal claim. Such payments to be paid to and distributed by the existing dairy companies. Representative Meeting Supported The meeting was one of the best held in the history of the Association, and was attended by Mr A. J. Murdoch M.P. (N.Z. Dairy Board), C. H. Courtenay (N.Z. Dairy Board), Messrs. W. Sullivan and F. W. Doidge M.P.s for Bay of Plenty and

•Tauranga respectively, and some .80 district farmers and Dairy Company delegates. Figures given by representative speakers from the Tauranga, Te Puke, Rangitaiki, Opouriao, Ruatoki and Opotiki Dairy Companies indicated the drastic falling off in butterfat which had occurred since the beginning of the year. In Tau.ranga, production was down twothirds for February, and represented a loss of some £30,000 to the suppliers. In Te Puke, the loss was estimated at £32,000, and in Opotiki at £43,000, all of which represented a heavy blow to the farming com.munities concerned.

Rangitaiki Conditions

Mr W. A. McCracken, Chairman of the Rangitaiki Dairy Company Directorate, said that the loss to date, in the Whakatane district was 235 tons, valued at £35,250. There was everydikelihood that the season would be practically concluded at the end of March, which would make the position far worse by comparison with other years. Many oi the farmers had already fed out their auxiliary feed, and had no reserves whatsoever for the coming winter. Their prospects for next season’s operations were bleak, to ..say the least. It was that class of farmer, which the . Association .should concern itself about. It was estimated that during the winter, it .would take two bales of hay to keep a cow alive for one week, and this, at twelve or thirteen shillings, could not be afforded by the average farmer. Fodder was urgently needed. He realised that substitutes in oats and barley were offering, blit what was mainly needed was financial assistance for those who had been really badly hit, in order that they could take advantage of the relief which was available. Opofiki and Opouriao

Mr Connor for the.Opotiki Dairy 'Company, pointed out the additional loss of pigs to the average farmer through lack of milk and whey. Mr Richardson (Opouriao) said that the next three months would tell the tale as to whether the drought was going to end or develop into a first class disaster for dairying. Mr J. Moody declared that Opouriao were down 33 per cent. Heavy Provincial Losses

Mr Murdoch said that, for the month of January, the Dairy Board had prepared figures showing the effect of the drought losses upon the various provinces. North Auckland showed a 29 per cent, loss; Bay of Plenty 24 per cent.; South Auckland 21 per cent.; Hawke’s Bay 16 per cent.; and Canterbury 12 per cent. These were the worst areas, and he estimated that in the Auckland Province alone, the loss constituted, in that month, £575,000. It was estimated that unless conditions improved the total losses might yet run into millions. The matter had been discussed by the Dairy Board,

and representatives from the dairy-

ing section of Federated Farmers. ' Supplementaiy Fodder

It was estimated that a minimum of 139,000 tons of supplementary fodder would be needed during the coming winter, to keep the dairying herds in the drought stricken districts alive, and the Board would be out to do all in its power to bring relief as quickly as possible. He criticised the Government’s proffered loans to farmers bearing from 4 to 5 per cent, interest, when loans in other directions were made out for a 2 per cent, and less. He favoured striking an average over the past three of four years in order that the Government could make a direct grant from the. Earthquake or Insurance Fund.

M.P.s Co-operation

Messrs. Doidge and Sullivan, promised the fullest co-operation, in making representations to the Prime Minister on the matter which they classed as a disaster of the first magnitude as far as the dairying industry was concerned. They declared that it would be a far-sighted gesture on the part of the Government to reinforce the industry at this juncture in its history, when assistance. was obviously so urgently needed. Direct Grant Not Likely Mr I. Gow speaking from previous experience with regard to Government approaches for assistance for flood victims, said that he did not think for a moment a direct grant was likely, but he advised farmers who were in really necessitous circumstances through the drought to waste no time in approaching the Government for assistance.

The introductory motion was finally put to the meeting after careful consideration and was carried unanimously. It was further decided to urge upon the Government the necessity of taking immediate steps to supply all drought affected areas with all classes of fodder required, and further, that the Primary Production Council be retained in office, for the purpose of making such distribution. Widespread Support Invited

The question of arousing public opinion throughout New Zealand 1:6 the magnitude of the heavy losses involved, and the far-reaching effects on dairying in future, unless some immediate financial relief is forthcoming, was emphasised by Mr C. R. Wilson, and it was unanimously decided to bring the position before the Executive of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, and the New Zealand Federaton of Labor, seeking the co-operation of both organisations in supporting the representations to the Government. To this end, the Dairy 'Board was asked to make contact with both the above organisations.