The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “ The West Coast Times.” MONDAY, JULY 25th., 1921. A HOPEFUL OUTLOOK.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “ The West Coast Times.” MONDAY, JULY 25th., 1921. A HOPEFUL OUTLOOK.

An optimistic- view was expressed by the Hon W. Xosworthv -at Wellington last week in opening the Council of Agriculture there. He said that the conditions in regard to the primary products of the country were not so good as they Swore twelve months ago, hut it was sincerely hoped that the position would soon show the* desired improvement. The marked drop in the wool market and the position of the industry had caused the Government a great deal of trouble, hut arrangements had been made with the wool commitee, and a minimum price of 5d for 56 -grades downwards and f)d for grades above 56 had been agreed to. '('lie Government had kept away as far as possible from placing restrictions upon the sale of wool which might tend to hamper business Ft was some satisfaction to know that large catalogues of wool had been offered at the sales, and, although prices were low, competition was in evidence, and some business bad resulted. There had- been a slight Improvement in the prices of fat arid store cattle, Although the price of meat in t fu.idop was* pot particularly low the

high fi eights had prevented the suppliers Ifom receiving the benefit of the i tiling prices to the extent that was desired. The production of dairy produce its well as the prices obtained was u record for the Dominion, nmlt had returned something in the vicinity of £20,000,000. There had been a slight increase in respect to cheese, hut that of butter had been phenomenal. The present prospects were a great deal better than they were a few months ago; it was hard to say what the position would he in the future, hut it was

trusted that another record would he established (Applause). One tiling was apparent, and that was that, had it not boon for the export of dairy pro. cluce and the prices obtained, the posi tion in the Dominion would not have been saved. It was the dairy produce that saved, if not wholly, at least to4f great extent) the position ns far as New Zealand was concerned. The question of the shipping position ..would, no doubt, be touched upon by the conference. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. W. E. Massey), who was in l.on- ; don, had the matter in hand, andj would do liis utmost for the Dominion

in this respect, and also in respect to the £8,000,000 excess profits which was being held by the Imperial authorities. The season had commenced with a clear-

ance of tlic frozen meat stores, a position which had not been obtained for some years. The wheat yield had been good considering the acreage that had been sown. In fact, it had been re-

markably good. If it. proved as good

tins year, the most sanguine man should be satisfied. The supply had been such that the demand of the country had been met. The oat market bad not been as good as the wheat, but exports bad taken place, and prices were on a better footing than was the ease a few months ago. While the dairy industry had been going ahead, he was sorry to say that there had been a drop in the sheep returns which showed a decrease of 2,090,000. The previous year there was a decrease, and this year he understood that the returns would show a decrease of between 600,000 and 700,000. It was hard to account for the cause, but it was hoped that farmers would not allow their flocks to go down. Farmers, it was recognised,

were passing through a crisis, but he

was one of those that believed that there was a better time in front of the wool industry, and that the time was not far distant when it would be plac. ed on a better footing than! it held today. It had been stated that, with the heap of wool that had to be disposed of, the position could not improve for five years, but now that Germany had got to work again, the strike in Great Britain had been settled, and that workers of all classes would soon be settling clown to their employment and were getting busy the market, be was optimistic enough to predict, would right itself in a much quicker time • than some people thought. Much had been said about production, and more production, and to make two blades of grass grow in the place of one, hilt it was not an easy matter to bring this about without the required money. It was not the increased production that had brought the money into New Zealand, hut the prices had been obtained for the products. Tt would be realised that when the primary products went down the country would go down with them. There were some big problems in front of the Government and the people of Now Zealand, but it was realised that an insurance policy would have to be taken out as far as the prinmry products of the country were concerned. If the primary products cannot produce the wealth first, the other industries and business of the Dominion could not advance. The taxation was a heavy burden to stagger under, but with the prosperity of the country, teh future was assured, and there was no better country than New Zealand to improve. Tf the well of primary pro. duets dried up, the rest of the country would dry up, and lie sincerely trusted that when the conference was held again the jwsftion would have vastly improved. T{ was only by combined effort, courage and perseverance that the difficult problems which presented themselves to-day could be overcome.