AUSTRALIA'S NEED.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 October 1924, Page 4

AUSTRALIA'S NEED.

SYDNEY, September 2o

In a striking speech regarding the 1 necessity of the systematic organisation of the marketing of Australia’s products, and the prevention of overproduction along any given lines, the I’rime -Minister (Mr Bruce) made an important suggestion for the establishment of a body comprising the best brains in the community to advise the various Governments and the people of Australia on the great problems involved. In offering to co-operate with the States in the establishment of such a hotly, .Mr Bruce expressed the opinion that it would he able to rentier the greatest possible service to the primary and secondary industries of Australia, and also to the whole of the let pie. Jn emphasising the need fur some such organisation, Air Bruce indicated the need for the opening up of adequate markets for the increasing production brought about hy immigration and ‘improved methods, and he pointed by way of warning to the acute problems that lmd had to he faced owing to abnormal increase in production through soldier settlements in the matter of dried fruits without proper steps having first been taken to ensure that there was a sufficient demand for the potential output. Once the problem of providing markets for our surplus production is solved, said Air Bruce, the problems of the increase of our man-power and the expansion of our financial resources will he easy of solution. Our aim must he to direct our production towards those commodities for which there would appear to In: a continuous and expanding luluro demand, and to abandon our present system of haphazard production. It must be remembered that within a few years the storage works under cousiruction on the .Murray Uiver and its tributaries will provide sufficient water lor irrigation of over 1,01)0,900 acres, in addition to the present irrigated areas. At present fruit-growing is the staple industry in our irrigated

areas. Fruit production on an onemimic basis, however, cannot absorl more than a lithe of these new areas (Ye must immediately lace the question of how we are to employ to the host advantage the water cetiservet in the storages upon which the I'filer

al and State Governments are expending many millions of pounds. Al tty not it he possible, queries Air Unite, hy systematic fodder conservation and by schemes for using these irrigation areas for fattening stock raised on the cheaper and drier country, to improve the efficiency of our pastoral industry and reduce its risk? Air Bruce milled that fds investigations into the marketing of Australian produets in Great Britain had corniced him that- there must he a more orderly anti ellectivc svtJoin if Australian interests were to expand or even to maintain their present position. A measure of Governmental assistance was necessary it a proper system of orderly marketing was to hi: brought about.