THE PUTARURU PRESS. Office Main Street ’Phone 28 – P.O. Box 44 (Lewis, Portas and Dallimare’s Buildings.) THURSDAY, JULY 22, 1926. TOKORA PROBLEMS.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 142, 22 July 1926, Page 4

THE PUTARURU PRESS. Office Main Street ’Phone 28 - P.O. Box 44 (Lewis, Portas and Dallimare’s Buildings.) THURSDAY, JULY 22, 1926. TOKORA PROBLEMS.

THE address given by Mr. Collins, M.R.C.V.S., at Tokoroa on cattle sickness should do much to remove many misconceptions in regard to this malady. Nevertheless it would appear that much more than this visit is necessary if farmers in that district are to receive the full advice and the attention of Government departments which the situation warrants and which in these enlightened days they have a right to expect. There is no question of heavy subsidy or pampering involved. The point at issue is to ensure, in a period ■ when more production is urgently re- I quired, that the production or an established district is not allowed to go back. It is poor policy to devote all attention to securing farmers from other countries who will settle on the land if our own pioneers are not to receive the attention which they deserve. In this connection farmers at Tokoroa can quite rightly be regarded as pioneers on lands which up till recently were thought to be of no account.

This theory has now been exploded, and Tokoroa country has been proved to be capable of producing pastures in the season equal to the best •of dairying country. The mysterious sickness, however, is proving a tremendous handicap, so much so that several farmers are in danger of losing all their capital. Though Government officials have shown the cause of the trouble, and the cure, full details of which appear in another column, more than that is necessaryif disaster is to be prevented. Owing to the reluctance of many farmers to publish their losses reliable statistics in regard to the sickness,, are ..most difficult to obtain. Notwithstanding this, however, enough is known to, show that urgent measures by the Government are absolutely necessary.

Mr. Collins in his remarks was very confident that the trouble was due to lack of iron in the pastures, and little heed need be paid to the flat contradiction with which he was met by one settler on this point. Nevertheless it shows the difficulties which may be met w T ith, and instead of leaving the matter to be solved as the result of an isolated address it appears to us that it is essential that an official, fully qualified to carry out Mr. Collins’ advice in every detail, should be quartered, or at least made available at very frequent intervals, so that periodic visits may be made to every herd in Tokoroa in which the mysterious sickness appears.

It is of little avail spending thousands after a disaster has occurred ; constructive government pays heed to warnings received beforehand, thus saving losses which cannot fully be measured in pounds, shillings and pence. In this particular instance no great outlay is required. The total sum required is but that necessary to maintain an experienced man who has been trained at Mamaku, to visit, say for one season, and assist farmers in their efforts to conquer the complaint. A careful choice of such an official is, however, required. In older countries it has long been recognised that it is not every man who has the natural gift of' understanding animals, and this point is so much recognised that on individual farms the “ herdman ” is employed. Not only expert knowledge but also sympathetic methods are required. Further, it cannot be gainsaid but that in such conditions as exist at Tokoroa instant action would be taken by Government departments. Despite its wonderful record of farming products, it cannot yet be said that New Zealand has developed a true sense of the importance of the position of farmers to the community as a whole, and, this being so, it often happens that officialdom appears to be driven to action instead of leading others into action. Luckily this district is served by a member of Parliament who has genuinely earned distinction by his quiet persistence in getting things one when his constituents are in need and we feel sure that if Mr. °c y s attention is drawn to this matter the problem will be tackled in a proper manner. The question brooks of no delay, however, and it is one which the local Dairy Company and the Progress League should take in hand at once. The cooperation of all is necessary, and this being obtained, thpm c-n/.’m i