Grasslands Economy Is An Example To World

Chronicle (Levin), 18 May 1948, Page 7

Grasslands Economy Is An Example To World

WELLINGTON, May 17. New Zealand 's grassland economy was an example to the rest of the world, said the director of the Canadian Farm Rehabilitation Programme, Mr. L. b. Thomson, O.B.E., in a broajicast address on "Food and Conservation" last night. .Speaking as a New Zealander, Mr. Thomson said New Zealand had made remarkable progress in food production over the past 3U years. But along with this progress, the questiOn of conserving the soil 011 the cultivated plains and the higher grasslands had beconie a national problem. New Zealand was 110 diiferent from Canada in this re spect. The conservation problems dif- , fered from Canada 's, because of the di|L'erences in climate. "But the' grassland economy 011 the better land of New Zealand is an outstanding example to the rest of the world," he added. ' ' Great credit must go to the agricultural scientist, and to the judgment of the farmer who has applied thc scientist 's knowledge," continued Mr. Thomson. ' ' The marginal lands of run and hill country don t give us such a rosy picture, for the same attention hasn't been given to their iniprbvement — in the tussock hill country of tlie Bouth Island, for instance. "Marginal lands don't always give as good a picture of the country 's economy as the better lands. It's niy experience, ho^vever, that the land is just iike a factorv. The marginal land miglit be described as the liy-products of the factory. If those by-products are thrown awav or burnt, then the main part of the business will suffer. "This anaiogv may not be applic able, but L can 't help feeling that drylaud farming requires more study, and liill and run country far greater attention from the scientist anu the farmer than it has been given iu the past."