SHIPPING OUR PRODUCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1709, 8 May 1917, Page 3

SHIPPING OUR PRODUCE.

THE FARMERS’ DILEMMA. MR. FIELD. M.P.. ASKS FOR IN- • FORMATION. Mr W. FI. Field has forwarded the following letter to the Acting-Frime-Minister: — “Dear Sir.—l represent, as you are aware, a farming constituency, in which farming has developed very considerably during (he past few years, resulting in the erection of numerous creameries and butter factories, all of which have been for sonic time past, and are still in full operation. A large proportion of the land in my district, too, is utilised for the purpose of rearing stock for fattening and export purposes, and about nine-tenths of the total amount of hemp exported from New Zealand in normal limes comes from mv district also.

“1 noted in the press of yesterday vour warning of the probable shortage of shipping for taking our products beyond seas. My object in writing is to ask that you, as aching head of the Government, and therefore possessing the most accurate information procurable on the subject, will lose no time in making a more complete and definite announcement to the farming public- as to what products the Imperial Government actually requires from us and what shipping is likely to be* available to carry same. 1 am, of course, aware that you are unlikely to be able to furnish information of the accuracy of which you can absolutely guarantee. But by means of communication with the Imperial Government it should be possible to furnish the producers of this country with facts which will be some guide to them in (hear future farming operations, and to be of essential advantage 1 not only to them but to (lie country at large and to (he Fmpirc. I understand that there arc at present about a quarter of a million boxes of butter stored in (his country, and (hat it is likely to remain (here for an indetinile period because of (lie lack of shipping, and because it is not urgently needed by (he Imperial Government. In four months’ time the spring will be upon us, and with it the dairy farmer will recommence his season’s operations. if he 1 is relying cm the manufacture 1 of butter to enable him to pay his way, and if, for the reasons above mentioned, no overseas market can be found for it, then (he sooner he is told to reconsider his position the better. “There is probably still time to convert many of our butler factories into cheese factories before the spring, and this will doubtless be done in many cases if there is to be a market for cheese and not: for butler. If. however, there 1 is to be a very limited market for both butler and cheese, then the dairy stock owner would have to consider the question of converting his farm into one for the production of beef and mutton instead of butler and cheese.

“Before doing (his he would naturally desire to know what the chances were of finding a market and shipping for his meal. It would, of course, be unfortunate if a huge number of our dairy herds, which have undergone enormous improvements of recent years. Avert* now to be converted into bind'. It would lake many years to get such herds.together again. In the ease ol rich dairy land, I understand, an acre will produce over T.'i per acre more if used for dairying than it will it used for (he production of ltd stock. The operation of the Compulsory Military Service Act will unhappily have the effect of converting many dairy farms into grazing holdings. This means severe loss both (o (he individual larmer and to the country, but if the men are required for the.war it is a position to which we must submit.

.“The object of ibis letter is not to dismiss (bat aspect of (be ease, J( i- to strongly urge upon yon Hie urgent necessity of giving H.ie amplest information available to producer- as to how tar it may he necessary for them to change (heir opera I ions in (he near fnlare. I am more concerned for the butter industry (ban any other at the pre--enl moment; but it i- plain Hint producers generally should luia'c the guidance of ibe Government at (be carlie-t pos-iide moment.”

l , Vnin Ihe above il will 1„. llml Mr Mold doe> not ihink the (iovoi’imionl is ui‘.imr such ;i (o producers in this nmllor ns (hoy, vory well migiu. The (b.vcrnmenl cnmiul 101 l with accuracy what i onnagc will be available next sea>nii, hu( I hoy .should ho nhlo to sav "hat produce Iho linporinl (lovern(nonl and our sillies will require nnd wluit they will not require. As for iho ships to tnke the produce away, if is simply n ou>e of hoping f or f] !f , hoi.