FARMERS GOOD YEAR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1768, 5 June 1913, Page 8

FARMERS GOOD YEAR.

SURVEY BY THE PRIME MINISTER. 'DAIRYING AND FRUIT-GROWING. (Br Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, \Tuno i. .Some interesting figures regarding the • growth of • the .dairying industry were given by tlio Prime Minister (tho Hon. W. 1\ ]Uassey) _ M-hile opening tho AVnikato AVinter Show at Hamilton yesterday. Thoro was great encouragement for the farmer, Mr. Massej said, in tho fact that Neiv Zealand had, in various parts of the British; Empire, a growing market for .all its produce/ 'Hp quoted the export of dairy produce in. support of this remark. The export of butter to Vancouver Inst year, ho said, '.was 52,028 boxes, and for this year's season, just closed, the export hnd' been 117,193 boxes, an increaso of GS.JUS boxes for the year. ■ Not much was heard of South Africa as a market for dairy produce; but the export of Lutter to that market had increased in a year' 'from 5G.16 boxes to 22,781 boxes, an increase of 17,115 boxes. To show im-' pressively the importance of the dairy produce export, he stated that the total export during last year was worth .£3,816,924. For tho season just closed* it amounted to, <£4,309,008, nn increase of .6492,084.- The Auckland share of tho export was £1,062,859, and the increase represented by this figure for. tho year was about .MOO,IJOU. Referring to tho fruit-growing industry, 31r. Massey said that in the Dominion 35,057 acres wero under orchard, of which 7130, acres had been added during tlio last four years. Last year's total export of fruit had amounted, to between 10,000 and 17,00(1 cases. Tho present export season, though not vet closed, had resulted in 30,000 cases 'being sent to 1 South America alone.. The Quality of Dairy Produce. "It might have been duo to a falling market in tlio latter pari of the season," continued the speaker, "but complaints had come to him that the quality of the New Zealand dairy products was not being kept up. Ho was not at all satisfied with the existence of a difference in price between New Zealand and Danish butter in England.' There, was no reason which he could seo why the prico should not bo tho same. AVhen such complaints as he had referred to had reached him be asked for thu reasons for. them, and he had been told by some who professed to know that,it lay in tho employment of milking-machines in this country, .Tho New Zealand dairy industry could not do' without, milking machines, but he would earnestly ilsk those who used the machines' to look after them. (Hear, hear.) Ho appealed to them to seo that they produced a good article, not only for export, but also for home consumption as well. Tho Prime Minister congratulated his fellow agriculturists upon the Beason just ended. They had been ablo to obtain good prices for almost every article thoy produced, and the outlook continued to ; lx> good. If tho proposed American tariff I were passed into .law, wool would be at a . totter prico next season than for many years past. Good butter and good cheese would always command a good price, and Ihe outlook in regard to tho price of frozen meat was as good'as it had been for many, .years. Tho prosperity, of tae country depended upon it.?'primary industries, and upon tho" people on tho soil, nnd ever}' possible, opportunity should be availed of to encourage them.