PRIMARY INDUSTRY AND WAR

Evening Star, Issue 23378, 22 September 1939, Page 3

PRIMARY INDUSTRY AND WAR

ORGANISATION TO MEET CONDITIONS FIRST MEETING OF PRODUCTION COUNCIL PREPARING TO MEET EMERGENCY DEMANDS [Fnosi Ouk Parliamentary Revoiitek.] WELLINGTON, September 21. The organisation of the agricultural and primary industries to meet the needs of war conditions w r as substantially advanced to-day when the first meeting was held of the Council of Primary Production. The chairman, the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. W. Lee Martin) presided, and in addition to members of the council a number of members of Parliament attended at the invitation of the Minister. In his opening remarks, the Minister said that the function of the council was to advise the Government through him on the specific direction of farm production in order to maintain. to_ increase, or to modify primary production. As the Minister in charge of primary production, it was necessary for him to maintain effective cooperation with the Minister of Supply (Hon D. G. Sullivan) and the Minister of Marketing (Hon. W. Nash) to fulfil requirements for both Dominion consumption and export, and he would be guided by the council’s advice in making recommendations to both those Ministers. It would also be necessary to maintain the closest touch with primary producers’ _ organisations throughout the Dominion to ensure that any emergencies which might arise would be met with the least possible disruption to the normal course of farming and business. EXECUTIVE ORGANISATION. The Minister said that an executive organisation would be established within the Department of Agriculture. The Director-General of Agriculture (Mr A. H. Cockayne), who had been appointed Controller of Primary Industries, would be deputy-chairman or the council, and it would be necessary for the council to advise on all policy matters coming under the jurisdiction of the Controller. The Director of the Fields Division had been appointed Director of Primary Production, and would; therefore, be a member ex officio of the council. THE MAIN OBJECTIVES. “ There are three main avenues along which the organisation must proceed,” the Minister said, I feel that urgent action should be taken before ground is lost and before we are faced with declining production. The first of these is the organisation and direction of labour for normal and special scasonal requirements, the second deals with the maintenance of farm production of both crops and livestock, and the third with /the organisation of the supply of farm materials in order that prices may be reasonably controlled and that in the event of a shortage of some essential commodity a system of rationing may be operated.

“ I propose to appoint executive officers in charge of these three lines of action, and it will be necessary _to consider fully the detailed organisation which should he set up so that a Do-minion-wide coverage of local advisory committees may function at the earliest possible date and give the ■necessary elasticity to the whole scheme. ‘‘ The Employment Division of the Labour Department,. working in conjunction with the local advisory committees. who will include representatives of the Farmers’ Union and New Zealand ’Workers’ Union,- should be able to provide adequate and suitable farm labour for any emergency. After the policy of crop production has been decided capable direction by the organiser, working through the district officers of the Department of Agriculture and in close co-operation with the local advisory should, ensure success in this direction. v CROP DIVERSIFICATION. “I hope that by the fullest use of tractors, whether owned by farmers, by contractors, or by the Government, it will be possible fully to maintain the necessary areas in arable crops. “ It will also be necessary to introduce considerable diversification of crops to meet New Zealand’s requirements of certain products normally imported and to supply urgent demands which may arise in the United Kingdom. “ This involves a detailed study of the potential demand for particular commodities and also the investigation of production costs and the establishment of equitable prices. As a general principle, we should aim at the least possible dislocation of normal farming practice, that is to say that areas carrying first-class pasture and efficiently utilised for intensive fattening or butter-fat production should not suddenly be diverted for example to grain production. “ National interests would have_ to be considered in the control or possible rationing of farm supplies. It is important to prevent a monopoly or a local scarcity of any commodity causing an unduly sharp rise in price. STABILISATION OF COSTS. “ As it now appears probable that for the duration of the war the major farm products will be marketed under the Imperial Government commandeer, and that prices will be adjusted within rigid limits, consideration must be given immediately to the stabilisation of farm costs and particularly to the prevention of unduly high prices for essential farm requirements which it is necessary to import. The department through its field staff will maintain close touch with local production as well as with the distributing merchants.

“ I wish, finally,” the Minister said, “ to emphasise that the all-important consideration is to secure the goodwill and fullest co-operation of the whole of the farmers of the Dominion in a supreme • effort to increase primary production, and I rely confidently on your experience as leaders of the farming community to advise ably in the attaining of our objective.” The council discussed a number of policy and organising proposals and steps w r ere taken to set up sub-com-mittees to deal with the sheep industry. dairv industry, pig industry, and farm labour. It was requested that reports on the pig industry and permanent and casual farm labour should be available for the next meeting of the council on Friday, September 29.