Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, JULY 22nd 1918. MATTERs AGRICULTURAL

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1918, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star MONDAY, JULY 22nd 1918. MATTERs AGRICULTURAL

In the course of an address to tin* Council of Agricultural at Wellington last week, the "Minister of Agriculture ! said that the work of (lie .Agricultural j Department lmd been carried on under i a great deal of difficulty, and they had not been able to assist the farmers so much as they would have liked but nevertheless, good work had been done ! by the staff. No Government Depart- . incut was doing so much for the farmer ns was the Agricultural Department, said the Minister, an*] he referred to the benefit accruing through the Government grading of produce. The experimental farms, too, were doing good work. They did not profess to teach beginners who had no other place to get instruction. Those men could go to the experimental farms not. es a privilege, but by right. The Minister also defended the proposal of the Government, to soil bulls from the farms by auction. During the past four years ,thc Government had had to interfere with the farming industry as well ns others. The short age oi shipping and labour had made it impossible to allow things to go on in tip. old order, and the Government had to take some measure, of control of the products. In regard to beef, mutton. Innib, and wool, the arrangements made, 'had he claimed, been of immense benefit to the country. While some people seemed to he anxious to get the uttermost farthing, he believed the great majority of farmers were

satisfied that nil possible hod ; been done in their interests, and lie could only say that he hoped they would not be my worse off in regard to shipping. ('oir.-erning v.ool, bo felt- .sure the majority of farmers were satisfied. There was a certain amount of agitation being raised on this (question in New Zealand; arid being raised unfairly, and they must remember that the agreement with the Imperial Government for the purchase of New Zealand wool for- the period of the war and twelve months after had not- yet been fully concluded. The question of slipe and seedy wool was being considered. At t!ie Paris Convention certain arrangements had been entered ;nto which could not be altered until the termination of the war. . . . He

would no.- go so far -a« to say that we should hand over all our products to the Imperial Government. Britain had done magnificent work in the war by financing her Allies arul the Dominions, and she had cut down her industries to all hut the very essential. It would take a very long time to veins!ate those and he believed that ivery right-thinking man would agree that it was a perfectly fair proposition that the oversea Dominions whose products England took should agree that she should have .control of their raw materials until she was able to re-establish her industries. 11 she were only asking a period ot twelve months after the .war. was not that perfectly fair? And yet some people wanted the period to be three months! At present there was a very large quantity of wool in the Dominion paid for by the Imperial Government. AYc bad for so long been imbued with sordid commercialism that we lmd allowed England to bear the burden of the protection of our shores and the. Pacific routes. Were they to go bac-k to the old order to things after the war, to the old line of rushing to the highest market, and thus helping to build up "t-li or nations to bo in a position to annihilate us? Who was it that had helped us it not cheap money from Britain ?■ Who provided us with the market lor our produce- Was it not Britain? The final arrangement in regard to the wool purchase, he again reminded his henrerts, had not been made, and until it was they slioul reserve their criticism. The purchase by tbe Imperial Government was, lie contended a very good tiling indeed for the people of this country. Continuing, the Minister regretted that the outlook in regard 10 the perishable products of Now Zealand was not so satisfactory/ but tiler® was no question that the Imperial Government and the leaders of the New Zealand Government at present- in England wore going earnestly into the question of obtaining transport facilities. In this direction, however, he must say, that they were in a more difficult position than they h-ml been in before. Tim Government, is at present circularising all tlio freezing companies in. the Dominion to ascertain what power they hud in view of additional accommodation which might have to be built. Something would have to be done; the outlook was not too good. Ho believvu they would have a fair number or shins during tho next couple of months, },vp. after that ho could net say.