FARMING AFFAIRS

Chronicle (Levin), 1 July 1946, Page 2

FARMING AFFAIRS

(This eolumn is supplied by Federated Faruiers of N.Z., Ino. The information givcu Ls oiiicial but any views exp'ressed are thpse of the Fedcration and afe not uecessajily those of this newspaper.) Food Production Special coinmodity coinmittees on which. the fedcration is represented have now been set up by the Department of Agriculture to further the current drive for incrcased food production. The suggestion for thc formation of these conuniltece was made at a conference with the Minister of Agriculture last month and the fedcration representatives are as follow: — Rural liousing, Mr. A. Briscoe Moore (N'orth Auckland); arablc farming, Messrs. George Stevenson (Southland) and R. T. McMillan (North Oanterbury) ; dairying, Messrs. VV. N. Perry (Waikato) and H. E. Blyde (North Taranaki); meat, Mr. John Andrew (Otago); fertilisers, Messrs. W. Horrobin (Faruiers' IJnion) and J. J. Maher (Dominiou treasurer). The ayjpropriate statutory boards are also represented on certaiu of the coinmittees togetlier willi officers of the Department of Agriculture. First meetings of some coinmittees wero held this weelc wheu ways and means of implementinu the pnoirramine wero discussed.

Rural Housing Au. important special committee on rucal liousing has now commenced work under Govornmcnt auspices as part oi' the plan agreed upou by the Minister of Agriculture. Coustitutcd largely as a result of repfesentation by the 11 on. R. Eddv, president of the New Zealand Workera' Union, following publication of thc details of a housing schemo prepared by Mr. A. Briscoe Moore, acting president of the.N'ew Zealand Faruiers' Union, it consists of representatives of Federated Fanners, the New Zealand Workers' Union and Mr. F. P. Walsh, of the Economic Stabilisatiou Commission. Indications are that considerablc altoiition will be paid to Mr. Briscoe Moore 's plan of building State rental houses on individual farms, the land to be bought by the State on a free titlc to be compulsorily accejited by the mortgagee and the rent to be paid by the employing farnier, That scheme has received a good deal of unofficial coinmendation in Government circles, and as a niember of the committee approved by the Governmeut, Mr. Moore wili take an active purt in preparing reconunendations i'or alleviating the cxisting rural housing i shortagc. Nelson Pea Growers Claimcd to be unduly harsh in effeet, ; the Depariment of Agriculture thrcatsj of prosecution of many Nelson pcai growers •have been opposed by thoj federation. Many growers, mixed farni-j ers in general, have contracted with Hj Nelson canning firm for the supply of ; peas, and tlie Depariment has threat-i ened prosecution because they are not 1 registered market gardeners under Ihe Commercial Gardeners Act. In its re-i presenlation liead oflice argued that the departmeutal actiou was stretching thc ] powers of the Act to the absolute limit i and a request has been made i'or concessiohs to be granted such growers. No reply has yet been received from the Departinent. Sheep Farming Conmiission Plans i'or the.constitution of the new Royal Conmiission on sheep farming are developing rapidly. The special eoiuniiltee of representatives of the federation and the statutory board has reconimcnded to the Government that the commission should consist oi' six niembcrs, tlie chairman to be a judge of the Supreme Court, two to be Government nomiuees and threo producer nominees. The Government, through the Director of Agriculture, has agreed that selection of the producer inembers should be made from a pauel of names subniitted by Ihe federation. The committee set

up by the AVool Board has agreed that the threo producer nienibers should be oue each froin tlie high country of thc South Island and tlie hill country of thc North Island with one general representative of the industry. A circular has now been sent to ihe provinces asking for three noininations for the panel, one from each calegory. The iinal order of reference will probably be the Commission to inquire particularly into deteriorated land, the high country of the South Island and tlie hill country of the North Island.