TO PAY FOR THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 303, 18 September 1919, Page 3

TO PAY FOR THE WAR

INCREASED EXPORT NECESSARY. "It is, of course, evident Hint the one way to pay for nil the huge expenditure we have inenrred in the war is to begin again and re-creato the wealth which has wnsted," said Sir James Wilson, nreeident of the New Zealand Fanners' Union, in liis- address to delegii.tes to tlie Dominion Conference on Tuesday. "Natui'o has been bountiful, and for maiiy generations this country will have to rely upon, the produco of the land to fill the gap. It is only by united effort that this can be done. It is probably out of place for us to adviso others what their duty is, but the question which wo may answer is what can we do to increase the productivity of tho land. One can have few now suggestions to make. Yet I have no doubt but that instead of exporting thirty millions we must make it forty. millions or more. "Science has been the greet benefactor to New Zealand; it :has been the jjieans (since, the freezing process was a success) of doubling our exports. A new industry, viz., dairying for export, has been created, which has shot ,t;he Dominion ahead in a truly marvellous' manner. Up u> the.end of June last year, no less than 6even millions worth of liutter and clieW was exported. This could easily bo made ten millions if the dairy -farmer would take advantage of whut science teaches, niifl. pay loss attention to the thought of selling out at a profit. Frozen moat, as far a= tlint r.t jircscnt in store is concerned, is in a precarious position, but here again we can increase the output very materially when thin;;s are normal again. _ I veiitiiYe to say that scienco and invention have done more for the prosperity of New Zealand thau all the Governments together, and if we pay heed to thoir teaching wo will, without doubt, reap as much.benefit in the future as In the past. In arable, farming, research, experiment, and demonstration must go hand in .hand, erery. diseaso and pest that plants are' heir to must be investigated, and, if possible, overcome, 60 that tho fruits of the soil will be plentiful. Labour-saving machinery must heln us to cheapen production, and if we do" our duty to tho State we must all work harder. "The relations of all engaged in /arming, we must hope, will be cordial, in order that the worker's may bo encourased to stay on at farms. Married" men with families should form the basis of farm labour. Tho children growing up in the country will thus be healthy and fond of country life. It is not always possible for small farmers to lmild houses, but if the Stale 'were to allow them to borrow money through, county councils, allowing a rate to lx> levied on the land to pay interest anTl sinking fund, there would be no difficulty in raising tho money for this purpose."