A RECORD YEAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2370, 28 January 1915, Page 6

A RECORD YEAR

PREDICTION BY PRIME MINISTER

GREAT EXPORT FIGURES

ARRANCEMENTS FOR CARCO SHIPS. An interesting and important speech on some phases of tbe agricultural industry was delivered by the Prime Minister (the Right Hou. W. F. Massey) at Levin Show yesterday. Mr. ilassey said that it was true that this was an abnormal season; we had experienced a serious drought, _ which had interfered with some of our important products, but in sdne parts -f the country the . season had been a _ -jood one. Though the drought would interfere with the exports in tho districts affected by it, our exports as a whole, would, ho believed, be larger than for the previous season in point of quantity and in point of value, and last year was a record. When he said that the drought had interfered with growth, ho was thinking more particularly of cereals. For tho first time in our history, as far as he remembered, we had had to import wheat. During the year 1915 we would have a more serious shortages till, and have to import more wheat than we had imported this year. Fanners wero like other people, and had gone in for the growing of other things which paid them better than wheat, but he hoped that in a year or two wo would be growing enough wheat for our own cou sumption. Regarding other products, this had been a wonderfully productive season (perhaps on account of the draught it was earlier than usual), and the shipping companies had had the greatest difficulty in keeping up' with it. He knew that before tho end of the season there would probably be a pinch, but, as bead of the Government, he had done everything he could to get enough ships to take away our exports. Of course, the war entailed a shortago of ships, and some of our New Zealand traders had been taken as troopships. However, tho Government had arranged l'or tirfe return of troopships as soon as possible. The Athenic, the Orari, and the Waimaua were now in New Zealand waters. He had arranged with tho Imperial Government for the return of the Muritai from' Egypt, and on Tuesflay had arranged for the return of the Suffolk. •

"The exports of the country,", continued Mr., M&ssey, "are its very lifeblood, and' if we don't keep it going our trade will suffer." He thought the Government was justified in talcing measures to get the transports hack as soon as possible. (Applause.) There had been a great improvement in the past few weeks in the export of flax, an industry which was very impoitant on account, of the money it brought to New Zealand and the number of men it employed. The fruit industry was progressing rapidly, and he believed that we would soon get to the stage where we wonld be sending away £1,000,000 worth of apples per year. For tho year ended December 31, 1914, £26,261,447 worth of produce was exported from New Zealand, and that was a record by a very long way. One, therefore,, needed a very great deal of confidence in tho country and in tlio onorgy of the people to think that this season would beat last season, and lie thought it would. The values of exports for last' season included tho following :— £ Wool over 9,000,000 Butter 2,300,000 Cheese 2,50U,000 Beef over 1,000,000 Lamb 2,500,000 Mutton 2,500,000 Sheepskins 856,000 Tallow 694,000 Oats 166,000 Hides 358,000 This showed that of tho £26,000,000 worth of exports £22,000,000 • worth came direct from the land, and proved that for a long time to come New Zealand would depend very largely upon its agricultural industries.- Therefore, New Zealand should give every encouragement to its people to go on the land and become successful settlers.

On the question of land settlement Mr. Massey said that during the next two months the Lands Department wonld bo able to make available 800,000 acres of all classes of land in nearly every' district in New Zealand. He was sorry in a sense that so many of tho cream of our population were out of the country just now, but when they returned they would find open to them opportunities of getting on the land and becoming successful settlers.