COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3135, 13 July 1917, Page 8

COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURE

I '■ ANNUAL CONFERENCE OPENKNG DAY'S BUSINESS fourth annual conference of the i\oiv_Zoa)smd Council of Agriculture (or ipAffir w , Z , oalan<l Conierence ot Affibf ttcd A. aud p. Societies) wus opened lh tho Chamber of Commerce yes- ■ terdayi .'Mr. W. I), llunt (lnvercargill) presided/ over a largo attendance of delegatiw. Among' those present were Sir Joseph .' .Ward and tho Hon, \V. D. s. MaQpohald, Minister of Agriculture. /Speech by Sir Joseph Ward. In Responding to the reception accorded Iwm, Sir. Joseph Ward said that ho regritted tho absence of the Prime Minister on. account of a funily bereavement. For himself, Sir Joseph oaid, ho had always, he need hardly remind them, paid duo regard to tho importance of the interests. Without the best results being obtained .from the soil, they pay their way. Every 6cction of the community must stand'shoulder to shoulder so tliat the Motherland should comb, triumphant out of this war and so preserve' tho freedom of New Zealand. V , This "was a time at.'Homo when pin-pricking-had been dropped and causes of friction removed as much as possible, as should be so in the face of thff common foe and for ensuring our present civilisation. Great sacrifices had been made in this cause, and would still have to bo made. The British and. tlifeir Allies, however, would, he felt sure, come through this war victoriously. He was suro tha? rather than the German ambitton '.BlTOuld realised, Zealand would put forf/i its utmost to ensure oil tW freedom it enjoyed. Morriii? to finance, Sir Joseph *cmarked that tho Government had au enormous task before it to.provide for this year, and if the war continued, then there would be a greater burden to carry .next year. But he did not think the war would go on to next year. Still there must'.he sonvi adjustments made; They were ill a position they had nevor been in before, and one that lie trusted they would never be in njnih. But lie was perfectly sure that all were animated )iy the siligle desire to obtain the best that was necessary for this country, and to create 'lis little disturbance as possible,

and try to ensure that its system was based oii a solid foundation. He instancp<l the great effort niaile in tlie Motherland to win tie.war. and the Bacrifice there" of all class distinctions and differences of opinion to that end. Minister's Opening Address. The Minister of Agriculture opened • and addressed the- conference. Hu said that -while regretting that his hopes of last year, t'hat they would next meet with "peace secured, liad not been realised/ ho congratulated the agricultural community upon the -way it had met tho extraordinary circumstances that had arisen. Referring to the shipping tonnage ' problem, he assured his licarers that, notwithstanding: reports as to shipping trusts and combines, the position was-really very acuto, and quite beyond tho New Zealand Government, and, in a way, beyond tho Imperial.Government.

■I'ho position at one time was very serious indeed, but ho was glad to say that there was now an improvement, which would enable producers to got their produce away. Tho agricultural iociolies wore doing splendid work throughout tho country, and as regards meat,.butter, cheese, and wool, New Zealand was second to none in the world.

The Government had to exercise a certain amount of control and interference m tho matter of prices, shipping, and so on. This was dono with no intention of harassing anyone. Tho Government was most reluctant to interfere, but interference- was unavoidable. "It is our duty now," ho added, "ta increase our production in. "this country." Kcforring to tho heavy production of wheat in Australia, ho said it was always subject to drought, and therefore they could not entirely rely upon Australia for supplies. The Government was asking the smaller men to grow wheat, and it should help thorn in the matter of finnncial assistance. He hoped that legislation might be brought in this session to help the small man to produce more. It was not so much increased area as increased production tliat was called for.

The farming community was urging the Government to have examined phosphate and other rocks suitable for mammal purposes, but he would remind them that there was now but one man available to do this work—he spoke as Minister of the Department concerned. If tho country was to bo filled up with producers, 'then they would have to increase their instructional facilities. Of experts required for this work there was a world shortage. Tlier-eforo they eLould train their own. At present tho Government was not paying the experts sufficient to retain them. If they wanted the best men for this kind of work then thev must pny them better salaries. • 'i!he shipping i\\Sscvi\Ues yo\i\i\ 'be xelieved. As for wool, Jie' believed that it wwld lie -disposed o? next season (A present conditions. Ho had been informed that the wool that had gone Home "had been very satisfactorily reported upon. Some people were always asking why tho farmer was to be exempt from everything. Ho was not. The hand -of sorrow had been laid as heavily on the farmer as on any one else; and jie was likewTs'e labouring under very great difficulties at the present 'time. He tasted that the farmers would continue to help the country, as they had done in the past, and eo help New Zealand and the Empire to terminate the war aiftt bring victory to England and the Allies. The Work of the Year. As retiring president, Mr. W. D. j Hunt (Invercargill) dolivered an addresa I on the vear's work. In the course of. his speech, no said:—"The question of rates .on showgrounds was discussed last year, and a' deputation met tho Minister of ■Agriculture, who promised to bring tho matter before Cabinet. Nothing definite has, however, yet been done. Mr. Maseey wrote that under tho Bating Amendniont Act, 1910, local bodies havo "power to remit rates.. A copy of this letter was sent to all societies, and they were asked to approach their respective local bodies. In a few cases rates have been partially or wholly remitted, but most societies .still have to pay. Immediately following our laet conference, stops were taken to establish a Forestry League, and an inaugural- address was delivered hv Mr. D. 15. llutchins, lato of the Indian and South African Forest Services. _ Tho league h:ia made representations in regard to tho necessity for a definite policy of forest demarcation and tho employing of returned soldiers in tree-planting on waste lands, should thcro prove to bo a. temporary scarcity of employment when the war ends." ' s Referring to the way in which fanners had mot tho situation caused by tlio war, Mr. Hunt said that up to tho end of last year they had sont on active service approximately one in four of their effective male workers, and they had maintained production not only in value, I out also in volume. AVhen September 3ft I next nvrived farmers would havo sent to tho front approximately ono in thrco of their effective male workers, and yet he thought it would l>o found that for yet another year they had maintained production in volume. In wheat, production had fallen away, and farmers had boeu unfairly accused bv those who did not understand. tlio circumstances and would not bike the trouble to inquire. The fact of tho matter was ; that farmers had dono their, beet to ensure an ample supply of wheat; during war time, nnd had sown a much; larger area in wheat during tho threw war yews than they, did in tho l.hreo years immediately preceding tlio wav.' Tho average area, sown in wheat for each of tlio three war yoare had been SS9,2'fß acres,'and tho average of tho thrco yearsimmediately preceding the. war 190,■β-t «cres. 'The shortage of wheat had rtol; been caused , !)}" farmers. They had done their ttest under trying ciroumstairae;i. The shortage had been caused by climuf/io conditions'being unfavourable in tlio w-heat areas. . ■ "Not only is our agricultural and pastoral production of tlio utmost inijiorf.anco as munitions of war," he continued, "but if; is of almost equal importance I'rom tlio point of view of finance. Approximately 90 per cent, of our e:t|jorlf) are now farm itroduets. Without our I exports wo could not import. Oui; (arm

products nro responsible (or Uio linoyaney of tho Dominion's, iimmeo. 'Without farm products wo Would not havo the Dominion's revenue reaching oiith high figures. IVe/wculd not havo hud the ten millions local war loan so weuessfully floated last year, and wo would not bo able to face tho largo local war loan that must bo raised this year." Considering tho important work being enrried on by A. and P. societies, ho regretted that a few societies thought that their work should bo suspended until after the war, and were not represented that day. If ever there was a timo whon the interests of agriculture required watching, when cdncativo work in- connection with agriculture icquired attention, it wae to-day. Tho whole prosperity and work of tlio Dominion was depending upon agriculture. Mr. Hunt suggested, for tho consideration of societies, that they should institute a system of governorship in connection with their management, in addition to tho elocted directors now appointed. One of the most important problems to be faced as soon as tho war was over was that of maintaining on adequate supply of agricultural and pastoral workers, and of maintaining a proper proportion of country population generally. During the last twenty years the country districts had boen'becoming increasingly prosperous. Under these circumstances one would expect to find a drift of workers and population generally to the country. It was rot so, however. The drift wis entirely-the other way, and it was evident that under present conditions town life was proving more attractive than country life to the mass of the people. He was satisfied that an important step in the direction of increasing country" population vouM be tho provision of adequate accommodation on farms for married labour.

, Remits. The following remits were carried during the day:— That the Government lie asked (to taring forward tome comprehensive scheme of practical and scientific agricultural education.' eo as to raiso the standard of farming- in Kew Zealand. That in areas Where county councils are not undertaking any. iamiing «r----porimentnl work, agricultural and., pastoral societies sd»u\4 enacavouT to Verm separate associations for better development o£ iaimingi to ba subsidised, by all county councils and c-ther- bodies interested within the area of operations. That a boy obtaining a National, i.dueation Board, or other form of scholarship shall bo allowed to oxercise sucn scholarship at; An agricultural college. That it is ■desirable that furtner research work in.'agricultural chemistry lie carried out tyy tho Government. That-in vieiy of tho great and growing importance of the A. and P. industry, tho Government of this Dominion he requested to assist as far as possible witn suclTrailwaj (facilities as will enable the various A. and P. associations throughout the Dominion to successfully hold their shows,; Vhich are public demonstrations of vital industries.

That as '(heatrical companies eiijov certain conceptions under the new railway rezulationv the Minister of Kailw.iys. be requested tto extend the same concessions to persons / attending agricultural sjows as judgesj a.? in former years. ■ That tho system of taxation on excess profits ha.'i proved inequitable , , unsatisfactory, and capable of evasion vrthin tho tonußjof the lawand regulationa laid down by tho Commissioner and that it presses Vith .undue harshness on small men following the hazardous occupation of Toeing crops and hoping to -ecoup from diiD good year the losses oi the previous two years; and that the l.eccsfsary extra revenue should be obtained bv an 'increased graduated income-tax. 'That depreciation on implements bo 'allowed' as a deduction by the ["come Tax Commissioner, otherwise- it will still further discourago tho cultivation of the ,»roniiij and the raising of crops Tho courerence adjourned till Vo-ilay.