The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1916. OUR RURAL INDUSTRIES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2822, 13 July 1916, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1916. OUR RURAL INDUSTRIES

In his address at the opening of the Now Zealand Council of Agrithe Hon ,W. D. S. Mac Don Minister of Agriculture, remarked that any representations which tha Council might see fit to make would be c&refully considered by the Government, but little except war legislation would be dealt with by Parliament this year. Tho farmers of New Zealand, like other sections of . the community, quite realise that the-.present is not a convenient time for promoting legislation, and they do not expect tho Government to make new departures of an extensive character until the war is over. But the promotion of legislation is not tlio sole, or even the main, purpose of the annual conference of the Council of Agriculture. The Council is composed of delegates from the agricultural and pastoral associations of the Dominion, who meet together for the_ purpose of discussing matters of interest to tho agricultural community. The conferences serve many useful purposes. -They provide an opportunity for - an exchange of views, and help to give form and direction to public opinion on matters relating to the rural Industries and agricultural resources of New Zealand. They tend to keep, things moving—and moving in the right direction. There is ample scope for progress in agriculture. Now ideas are continually being tested, and a great deal of experimental work is being carried on. The conferences do good service by helping to make the knowledge thus gained of direct practical use to farmers. By suoh means the general standard of agriculture is being gradually raised. It is satisfactory to know that the Agricultural Department and the Board of Agriculture are in close touch with'tho agricultural and pastoral associations, and that all aro working together with the object of promoting settlement and increasing tho productiveness of the land. The afforestation problem must bo grappled, with in tho near future, and the very important -question of agricultural education will have to bo dealt with in a practical and comprehensive way. The urgent need for a big scheme of reafforestation has found an able and energetic advocate in Sip. James Wilson, who has brought the question under tho notice of the conference; and some -valuable suggestions with regard to rural education were made iii a paper read by Mr. Broavn, the Director of the Fields Division of tho Department of Agriculture.

Mil. W. 'Perky, the President of the Conference, had something to nay in his opening address about tho effect of the war upon tho land industries of tho Dominion. He remarked that, judging by tho exports, tho rate of production had so far been maintained, but he expressed doubt as to whether this satisfactory state of affairs would continue. He asserted that "most of tho best young men, the real workers, are away, both farm labourers aud. farmers' sons, and the pinch is being felt very severely. Farmers aro do'uig tho best they can under ,tho circumstances, and not complaining, but in many eases the farming operations will be curtailed.'"' It is of the utmost importance that sufficient labour should be available to prevent a falling-off in our exports, and if there is a probability of a serious shortage there should bo no delay in instituting a searching investi-

gation into tho question. Mb. I'krry did not produce facts _ or figures in support of his assertion. He contented himself with a general statomont, but it is only reasonable to suppose that the enlistment of such a large number of farm workers would produce some such result as that mentioned. The report recently presented to Parliament by the Department of Labour, however, takes a different view of the position. It states that in anticipation of larger crops of cerfials than usual and of a shortage of_ labour to harvest the same, special and complete arrangements were made by tho Department for an adequate eupply of' labour, and in addition to the workers that usually follow this class of occupation, numbers of volunteers were ready to come forward when necessary. The harvest was on the whole a very fair one, but it was found, contrary to expectations, that little or 110 difficulty was experienced by farmers in obtaining on tho spot what assistance was needed, and very few applications for workers were mado to the Department. It is not easy to reconcile this report with Mit. Perry's assertion that "the pinch is being severely felt," and that "many dairy farmers are contemplating turning their farms into sheep-walks for want of labour." The two statements, however, do not actually clash, because Me. Perry's remarks refer to the present and tho future, whereas the Department's report deals with the past year. But the Department seems satisfied that tho positioii is by no means critical. While this is satisfactory enough, so' fsir as it goes, no risks of a serious shortage should bo taken. A marked drop in the quantity of our exports might bo .compensated for in part by the high prices which now prevail, but a decrease in quantity, accompanied by a fall in prices, would have serious consequences, v