MINING AND AGRICULTURE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1807, 21 July 1913, Page 5

MINING AND AGRICULTURE.

AN INTERESTING COMPARISON. A comparison of th 9 relative value to the Dominion of the mining and agricultural industries, was made by Mrj J. G. Wilson at last week's Farmers' Union .Conference. Mr. Wilson said:— "There is exported from tho Dominion 121,305,217 worth of gold, a rapidly diminishing quantity. AVe havo spent a great deal of money On the development of our told mines, yet I.have heard it stated that the gold in Niew Zealand is produced at a loss. Certainly the loss in the AA'aihi mine alone would cover the export of gold for peveral years. It is a destructive production, for once the gold is won it does not tfsproduce'itself. Agriculture, on the other fraud, is a reproductive pursuit. Each year ,We grow more and more exportable produce, 1 which makes it'possible to pay our iwav. Yet if the cost to the country of 'public money spent upon gold mines wtte compared to the cost spent on agriculture .an comparison to the output, it would be Ifrery largely in favour'of agriculture. "Whether , the organisation of the Department is as it should be, I am not prepared to say, but the Public Sen-ice Commission istated it not satisfactory dn this respect, and it is rumoured that internal dissensions interfere with the harmonious working of the Department. If bo, then some alteration shouJd be made. . .One very' gratifying announcement,. lias !bsen made by Mr. Massey, viz., that he proiposes to set up a Board of Agriculture. Li What tho constitution of tliat board is to fbe has not yet been statedi This has been '.year by year recommended by the Farm'.ors* Union, and kept kfcfore tie public. If satisfactory appointments aTe made, it ' f Vrill be of great service in promoting the iWelfare of farmers by making the policy the Department a continuous on?, and (acting as a medium hetween the Department. and the farmer. Much has been' / done by our union to stimulate the interj/est of farmers in the Agricultural De» ( partment, but if farmers nave a voice in I the selection of some of their own class '••on a board, they are much likely to take an interest in the \working of the Department, which would ■ to a largo extent, no doubt, lie under Jhe board's control."