Royal Commission on Sheep Farming Recent Sitting at Wanaka

Lake County Mail, Issue 43, 31 March 1948, Page 1

Royal Commission on Sheep Farming Recent Sitting at Wanaka

The Royal Commission on the Sheep-farming Industry visited the Tarras-Wanaka district during the week and took evidence at Wanaka on Friday, March 19.

The Otago provincial president of Federated Farmers, Mr Stuart Sim, after welcoming the commission to the province, presented evidence concerning the general problems confronting farmers on hill and high country, and stressed the great importance of maintaining both the fertility of the land and the production from it. Mr W. F. McDonald, chairman of the Provincial High Country Section, then submitted evidence with regard to both economic and physical factors affecting the welfare of the high country and those engaged in working it, and drew attention to many matters requiring rectification. Evidence of a more local nature was ably submitted by Messrs G. L. Burdon, H. Stokes and J. S. Hamilton who dealt with the effects of both climate and rabbits upon the deterioration of much of the inter-montane pastoral country, and also with matters such as sub-division, rents, taxation, and the necessity for the establishment of machinery bv which a reserve fund

could be built up during good years to provide for contingencies such as snow losses. Rural housing, telephone services and education, also the problems affecting lands irrigated under Government supply, were further matters upon which representation was made by the witnesses. Mr John Hunt gave the commission evidence regarding the necessity for an extension of research work into several problems of the high country, more particularly with respect to grasses which might be expected to assist in the revegetation of depleted country. Mr I). C. Aubrey, in his evidence, laid special emphasis on the serious losses of sheep due to kea attack, and urged an extension of the work of destruction in the high country. All witnesses agreed that rabbits must be got thoroughly under control before any general improvement of vegetative cover on affected lands can be expeetd.