Mr. Bruce Levy's Call To N.Z. Farmers

Chronicle (Levin), 14 March 1949, Page 3

Mr. Bruce Levy's Call To N.Z. Farmers

"To me it seems jus't crazy for au industry worth some £145,000,000, with another £100,000,000 potential and a] hungry consumer country like Great Britain, to regard as insuperable these f ew disabilities. Here in New Zealand we have a real surplus of food and its export is .in no . way prejudicing tlie standard of living." This comment was passed by Mr. E. Bruce Levy, director of the Grasslands Division of the iDepartment of - Seientifxe and • Industrial Research, when speaking to a gathering of farmers at Pukekohe on Friday. He added: "In the face of this it seems trifling to talk of the rieed of a ship or two to* bring in more phosphate and of a few more works, more economically placed for general distrihution of fertilisers, a little cement, and material for the building of homes for the needed labour. In view of the potentialities in our soil, these deficiencies seem to mevery small obstacles to a world quest for food. In this country we have a rare opportunity to • develop our national resources. The call today is to produce more and that production drive demands a new urge and a new spirit. farmers have been political pawns and political chopping blocks too long. It is time to collaborate." The highly productive strains of grasses and clovers available to the New Zealand farmer are primarily due to the researches of Mr. Levy and his staff. He has evolved a technique for the conversion of these pastures Into ahimal products, and is now asking the farmers why they are not taking full advantage of the potentialities of their soil and climate. The main theme of the spokesmen on behalf of the farmers was the deepseated sense of frustration which they felt was pervading their efforts. The inseeurity of their tenure, high taxation, their inability to obtain skilled labour, and, what was described as the unsympathetie attitude of the Government toward farm production, were cited by several speakers. Mr. Levy's plan so impressed the gathering that it passed a resolution recommending its study by the Federated Farmers of New Zealand. Mr. Levy suggested that an organisation, similar to the Dairy Industry Commission, which was concerned with marketing, be set jrp to direct production. It should ensure tnat there was a guaranteed prr.ce for the commodities produeed; ' . • ' ■i ■ HIHI, IWI ii i ■■ in wii