Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY. FEB. 26 1917 AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 February 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY. FEB. 26 1917 AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS

The: fact that Westland County is becoming a settlement district in which agricultural interests are beginning to loom large, is reason for the distriot taking itself s6iieu?ly in these matters. Folowing that resolve it is up to the people to see thus the district is taken more under the wing of the Agricultural Department with a view to fostering development and so helpiag to increase the products, and thus add to the wealth of the Dominion. The progress and development of dairying is now taking definite lines, and the products exceeding local demands, an export trade is being established. Here are some interesting figures of the exports of surplus butter and cheese from Westland for

the past three years, which tell their own story of advancement :

These figures, of course, do rot represent the whole output, but they indicate the progress taking place, and justify an appeal to the authorities for similar expert assistance to that given elsewhere. The success of dairying, as also cattle rearing, depends in the first place on the herds. At present so far as stock inspection is concerned, the West Coast from Karamea to Jackson Bay embraces one district, in charge of a single stock officer, and the district does not rank in the first grade. The district is far too large for one officer to do justice to. It should be cut in two, and two stock inspectors appointed. Either that should be done, or the district put in the first grade, and the stock inspector given the neceeeary expert assistance. The district has been extremely fortunate with its present stock inspector in particular, and from the accounts heard on all sides he is so invaluable to the settlers that the wonder is a protest is not raised at the proposal to shift the officer to another district. With the laige district the officer has to control, a change might be easily for the worse, and if there is to be any change it should be in the direction of halving the district, and supplementing the staff so as to enable the ground to be covered more frequently, and the settlers kept better informed in respect to their stock and their treatment. The Agricultural Department is a very large concern. It consists of some five hundred officers from first to last. There are experts in all branches of agricultural aud kindred cultivation or utilisation of the laud. Such being the case, there should be thd demand from this community fo H closer intimacy with the Deparimtntul officers, Westland, presumably, is under the Canterbury office, am be request should be iu

the direction of more frequent ar/d systematic visits from the various instructors, Modern developments are proceeding so rapidly that there is always something to be gleaned from those whose business it is to keep in touoh with outside districts. Very properly from time to time Agricultural officers from New Zealand are sent abroad, and visit Australia Canada, United States aDd elsewhere. Westland gets very little direct benefit from each visits. The officers embalm their experiences in lengthy official reports which seldom reach the farmers. What is necessary is to send these experienced men through the country and by public addresses and personal interviews and even demonstrations, pass on the acknowledge acquired. In the various branches of agriculture there are several avenues in which Westland can do much better with the expert assistance here hinted at. If only the people knew how to take up different sidelines of farming, without first having to learn by costly experience, a great advancement would be made. The whole subject is one for 3erious consideration by the farming community, and through their mouth piece they should endeavor to Becure the practical help of the Agricultural Department.

Year BUTTER. Owl. Value 1914 148 £ 838 1915 1,325 8,118 1916 2,040 14,624 CHEESE ' V £ ■ 1914 768 2,153 1915 2,702 ' 7,828 1916 2,758 9,637