SOUTHLAND PASTORAL EXPANSION WITH LESS AGRICULTURE

Grey River Argus, 3 April 1948, Page 3

SOUTHLAND PASTORAL EXPANSION WITH LESS AGRICULTURE

Export Lamb Claimed To be World’s Best

P.A. INVERCARGILL, April'2. Extensive evidence .about conditions on the sheep industry in Southland was submitted to the Roy-al Commission by representatives of the Federated Farmers (Southland? at a sitting of the Commission at Invercargill to-day. Mr N. McGregor, Chairman of the runholders’ section of the Federated Farmers (Southland) and Southland representative on the South Island High Country Committee said that the economic structure of Southland owed its success to an interlocking relationship of both runs and farms, and it was surplus stock on runs that fatteners were able to draw upon and breed Southland Romney cross lambs which was without equal as an export carcase in the world. The time, perhaps, had arrived to export this lamb under the brand of "Prime Southland,” and so build up a premium on Southland’s superior product, and get the other provinces to stand on their own feet. Evidence that during the last 30 years, there had been an Increase in the total occupied area in the province from roughly 3,200,000 acres to 3,300,000 acres, and that at the same time the number of holdings had been increased by 400, was given by Mr G. P. Chewings. During this period the average size of holdings had remainded fairly constant at about 550 acres. This did not show up land abandoned as distinct from the new areas occupied. Mr Chewings quoted figures which showed that there had been an increase of 111 per, cent, in the sheep population up to 1915, as compared with the figures for 1920; and that the number of breeding ewes increased by 185 per cent, during that period; and that the wethers had decreased in numbers by 62 nor cent, and that the number of dairy cows in milk had increased by 13 per cent, compared with the figures for 1920. Beef cattle raising was increasing on run country. The Federation considered that this was because of the shortage of labour for regularly tending of sheep and of the spread of secondary growth. An important factor was that there was an increasing stockcarrying capacity in the province. The witness continued that cereal growing in Southland had declined—particularly oats. Against that, there had been a great increase in the area cut for hay. Points contributing to increased production were better drainage and intensive liming. Mr Chewings dealt extensively with liming, and advocated that thp Commission should give serious consideration to making a recommendation in line with that of the Lime Investigation Committee of 1939, that the one hundred miles free railage of lime should be abolished, and that it should be replaced by a concession of 75 per cent, of the railage costs on lime and a concession of 60 per cent, of the road cartage of lime, irrespective of the distance.