THE RURAL WORLD.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 398, 23 September 1911, Page 6

THE RURAL WORLD.

ABOLITION OF DUTIES. FARMERS' OPINIONS. At a meeting of the executive of the North Canterbury branch of the Farmers' Union on Wednesday a resolution was carried expressing thanks , to the Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister of Agriculture, and Mr T. Buxton, M.P., for their remarks in the House of Representatives on the debate on the Bill for the abolition of duties on flour, butter, etc. Mr Leadlev said that in this Dominion some 6,000,000 bushels of wheat were produced, which at 3s 4d per bushel represented £1,000,000, which would be lost to New Zealand if the duties had been abolished. Would this not have been a great calamity to the country? If the duty on the prodcts mentioned were abolished, it would mean that the price of flour would go up enormously, which wuuld mean an increase in the price of bread. How could the producer be expected to pay the ever-increasing cost of labour, and how could local industries be maintained if the Government was going to reduce the price the farmers obtained for everything they produced: If industries were to be prosperous, the farming community must be better protected instead of being continuously gibed at. If industry was to be encouraged settlement of the land must be encouraged. Nothing would give such an impetus to industry like the settlement of the waste lands of the Dominion. The Hon. Mr Mackenize and Mr T. Buxton were the only men who had spoken in defence of the larmers, and there was no doubt that a large number of country members did not realise their responsibility to do what they could to encourage the farming community. Mr G. Sheat seconded the motion. Speaking with considerable warmth, he contended that he was sick and j tired of these continual attacks on the | farmers. The famers had the inter- | ests of the community at heart, and | they did not want the price of the j loaf to be dearer. That would be | what taking the tax off produce would j mean. It was all nonaeri3e to represent the farmer as exploiting the working man.

The chairman (Mr F;- Horrell) said that were the proposal carried it would dislocate the whole of the wheat industry in the Dominion. A vast amount of labour was engaged in producing wheat, and these labourers would be out of employment if there was no tax on the imported article.

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY. SHORT SEASON PREDICTED. In the course of an interview with a Christchurch Press reporter, Mr R. Ellison, London manager of the National Dairy Association, who is leaving for England in a week or two, after having spent about two months in the Dominion, said that the

whole of the North Island is extremely

dry, especially in the Waikato and Taranaki. This, thinks Mr Ellison, makes the outlook none too promising. At present it appears that there will be another 3hort season. Some of those factories that have already sold butter for future delivecry have cut down the amount considerably, owing to their fear that they will not be able to fulfil contracts. In Canterbury, and right away in through the South Island, he said, the conditions are even worse than in the North Island. More butter has been disposed of in the colony this season on f.o.b. sales than for a number of years past, and prices as high as llgd per lb have been offered and refused. A lot of cheese has been sold at Gld per lb f.o.b.

There is one thing that Mr Ellison thinks all dairy companies should recognise, and that is that there is almost a certainty of the home separator system coming in New Zealand. Already all the country north of Auckland is worked on that plan, and it has also got a very strong hold sou th of Auckland in the Waikato, and is gradually getting a hold in most other districts. Mr Ellison says that, generally speaking, the effect of thi3 system will be to lower the quality of New Zealand butter. From his point of view, he thinks that some control should be exercised over the delivery of the cream, so that the quality could in some measure be safeguarded. Otherwise within a very few years the high reputation at present enjoyed by New Zealand butter will rapidiy fail down to the level of Australia, the

I DUJK or wmcn is made xrom nome- ! gathered cream. j Mr Ellison says that in many districts factories that are at present making butter are going gradually tc take lip cheese-making. There is every indication that during the next few years New Zealand cheese will have to fill the place of much of the Canadian cheese that at present is reaching English markets. While he recognises the amount that ia being done by the Government and their officers, at the same time a lot more should be spent on the dairy industry, as it is almost certain that New Zealand will in time become one of the greatest dairying countries in the world. The Minister for Agriculture should be the most important official in connection with the administration of this country's affairs. Mr Ellison spoke also of the advertising of the Dominion. "During my time in London," he said, "I have been extremely grieved to find that our country and its possibilities are ao little unde v 3tood. I feel that a great deal more use should be made of the High Commissioner' office and staff than at present in the case. The Australians are in many ways ahead of us in advertising and using their country/ to the fore. I feel thai; -

determined effort should be made on the part of the Government to see thai, New Zealand produce of all kinds is better advertised and made known to the British public.