THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. “Public Service.” FRIDAY, JULY 30, 1943. DAIRY PRODUCTION

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3294, 30 July 1943, Page 4

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. “Public Service.” FRIDAY, JULY 30, 1943. DAIRY PRODUCTION

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Auckland Herd Improvement Association recently the chairman, Mr R. A. Candy referred to the alarming fall in dairy production in New Zealand. Figures were quoted to indicate the greatly reduced returns and the heavy increase in killings of cull dairy cows. Culling of cows is of course to a certain extent the result of stock diseases and the desire of an efficient farmer to maintain the quality of his herd. Nevertheless, there is growing evidence that there are other factors operating to cause this more intensive culling. The demands of the war, the acute shortage of labour and widespread dissatisfaction with the treatment meted out to dairy farmers by the Government undeniably adversely affect the dairy production on the Dominion.

The State’s complete interference in the marketing of pigmeat has quite clearly and definitely resulted in an alarming reduction in the production of those commodities. The farmer has been influenced not by political motives but because he knows and can prove that the production of porkers and baconers at the price fixed by the Government is a most uneconomic venture. And similarly, despite the Government’s attempts at fixing and stabilising costs, the dairy farmer can show that there is little incentive for him to increase his herd and thus add to the volume of butter-fat production.

There are few who will deny that the dissatisfaction expressed by the dairying community right throughout the Dominion from Southland to North Auckland is inspired by justifiable grievances, to rectify which the Government has made little move. It is said that some relief may be given when the Guaranteed prices for the coming season are announced. The opinion is mentioned that there may be an increase of about a penny a pound for butter-fat and costs stabilised on a pre-war basis.

Whether the Government dare make such provision even in election year without incurring the wrath of the Federation of Labour remains to be seen. That august body may object on the ground that such concession to the major farming community of New Zealand is a violation of the principle of stabilisation. The present well-defined downward trend may give the Government cause to risk the opposition of the affiliated bodies. Whatever is done, there must be a real and genuine effort to assist the man on the land to'■maintain production, even if the acute labour shortage requires tremendous sacrifices on the part of the farmers.

Mr A. S. Sutherland, M.P. for Hauraki, when speaking in Parliament recently brought to the notice of Cabinet the need for more encouragement for the primary producer if production was to be maintained as the Government desired but as 1 yet there has been no announcement of what assistance or what return the farmer can expect in the coming season. Soon it will be too late for any farmer to take the necessary steps to increase production, no matter what encouragement the Government offers.