RECORD PRODUCING YEAR

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 668, 21 May 1929, Page 6

RECORD PRODUCING YEAR

President Reviews Industry FARMING PROBLEMS DISCUSSED “REGARDING farming progress generally, the past year I\ lias been a highly satisfactory one for production and marketing. It has been the most wonderful season on record for the growth of pastures and crops, resulting in a record production of most of our staple products. . . In these words the president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union (Auckland branch), Mr. A. A. Ross, reviewed the farming year in his address to the annual conference at Auckland this morning.

rpHE president did not overlook the serious problems facing the farming industry, however, and in his address, dwelt upon the need for closer settlement, tariffs, rural finance, land questions generally and other phases of primary producers’ progress. After extending a formal welcome to delegates the president, Mr. A. A. Itoss (Te Kauwhata), went on: "At last conference, in addition to a number of remits on Farmers’ Union machinery matters, there were passed forty-six remits of general interest. Two of the forty-six were provincial and were dealt v/ith by the provincial ference. Of the forty-four, twentywere forwarded for the Dominion Conference. Of the fourty-four, twentyfour were sent by the Dominion Advisory Committee direct to the Government departments concerned and replies from same were received and dealt with by the conference. I may say that in practically all cases the matter appeared to have been given due consideration and quite a number of requests were complied with. “The remaining fifteen remits were placed on part one of the* Dominion agenda paper and were debated by the full conference with the result that one was lost, one was withdrawn and thirteen were adopted. The subjects dealt with in these thirteen remits included all the great national questions which the union in this province has placed at the head of its programme, and, although in no instance is there any tangible result, yet the fact that they are endorsed by the Dominion Conference of the union and thus kept well to the fore must ultimately have its due effect.

“During the year there have been eleven meetings of the provincial executive with an average attendance of 10.5. These meetings including committee work have generally taken one wholfi day in three sittings commencing at 9.30 a.m. and closing at about 11 bm. Much strenuous and valuable work has been done at these meetings besides the travelling time which has been entailed, and on behalf of the union, I wish cordially to thank the members of the executive for the time and attention tney have devoted to the work.

“The work of the office has necessarily been increasingly heavy and I wish to compliment the provincial secretary and his staff on the able manner in which they have met the situation at all times. “The matters dealt with have been too numerous to give even a tithe of them any mention here, but it is safe to say that no problem of any importance to the farming community has arisen without it having been in one way or another brought before the executive and dealt with. FREEZING CONTROL

“The question of increased killing space at Westfield occupied a good deal of attention. The point at "issue here is the maintaining of the policy laid down when the Meat Board was set up, namely, that outside interests were not to be allowed to gain any further control of the freezing industry. The executive held firmly to the position that no extensions should be allowed so long as ample facilities were already available, and the matter was pushed to a fairly satisfactory conclusion.

*'A pressing question at present is the finding of employment for city boys leaving school. It is admitted that no adequate facilities are available in the city and an endeavour is being made by the Labour Department and also by the Metropolitan A. and P. Association to find avenues of employment for them in the country.

“!t is a very serious and urgent problem and at the same time a very difficult one, as country boys have for some years been drifting in alarming numbers to the ap- , parentiy better paid occupations in the city. To stem the drift and set it going in the opposite direction seems almost impossible under present conditions. “No doubt a good deal can be done Jn certain cases and the executive has undertaken to co-operate in any practical way. It is, however, all a part of the larger problem and I am of opinion that a complete solution will not be found until conditions in the country are made attractive enough to stay the abnormal drift city-ward. “I cannot think that city boys in sufficient numbers materially' to affect the situation will be induced to stay in the country nor would it be necessary if conditions were properly adjusted. ORGANISATION “A good deaj of the time of the executive has necessarily been taken up with organisation problems. The proposal agreed to* at last conference for the setting up of a complete scheme of sub-provinces under a uew system has been undertaken and progress has been made a« rapidly as wasi intended. Five districts are now’ working under the scheme and the results to date are quite up to expectations. The districts concerned are being kept in close touch with the provincial office and the danger of getting to cross purposes is reduced to a minimum. “Finance has in too many instances been the cause of most of the trouble i t the sub-provinces, hut under the present scheme they are relieved of all responsibility in that respect and no trouble has arisen. So far as can he judged at the present time it seems advisable to proceed steadily on until the whole of the ground is covered. “Throughout the year a number of organisers have been at work enrolling new members and forming branches, and this work can l>e judged by the following figures. The number of branches now stands at 130. A considerable number of them are

not fully working and it is not expected that they will be all properly brought up to date until the reorganisation scheme is fully extended.

“The financial membership stood at 2,563 on April 1, 1927, at 4,073 on April 1, 1928, and had reached on April 30 of this year 6,023. an increase of 1,950 for the 13 months after allowing for all resignations and cancellations of which about the usual number came forward.

“I do not think it will be possible to continue increasing at this pace, as by far the greater part of the province is now covered and there are few districts where any considerable number of farmers remain outside of the union. The activities in the future must be mainly in the direction of consolidating and securing the work already accomplished.

“The finances are in a very satisfactory position as -will be shown in the treasurer’s statement to be placed before you later in the conference. PRODUCTION AND MARKETING

‘‘Dealing with farming progress generally, the past year has been a highly satisfactory one as regards production and marketing. It has been the most wonderful season on record for the growth of pastures and crops, resulting in a record production of most of our staple products. At the same time prices have continued good and the value of our exports is away above anything previously attained.

“Under such conditions it is a surprise to most people that there is not yet any indication of a drift back to the land, more especially as in the cities they have an ever-increasing number of people in chronic unemployment. “We still hear it contended in some quarters that the trouble is the high price of land, but it ought to be realised by this time that in the territories where settlement ought to be proceeding the trouble is that the land has no value at all and cannot find settlers at any price, hut that if It had a value and a price indicating that if developed it would pay ordinary wages of labour and ordinary interest on capital then there would be no difficulty. ‘The latest figures show that the decrease in the number engaged on farms still continues. In 1926-7 it stood at 132,799 and in 1927-8 at 129,481, a reduction of 3,318. “in view of these figures, and seeing that there is a steady natural increase of population, the employment conditions in the cities are not surprising. BALANCE OF TRADE “During the last two years there has been a considerable excess in value of exports over imports. So much so that previous balances in the opposite direction have been wiped out, and after liquidating all overseas liabilities there remain many millions of a credit balance. Under normal conditions this credit balance is added to the effective purchasing power of the community causing a hardening of prices and then an inflow of goods from abroad until the balance is again restored, for it is and must ever remain absolutely true that in the long run the credits from sales abroad are used for purchases abroad of goods to fill our requirements. “But nothing like this has happened on the present occasion for the credits remain in the banks as an excess of deposits over advances, and so far as general development is concerned the surplus of exports might as well have been given away.

“It appears inevitable that the interest. rates on deposits and on advances must be reduced in an effort to meet the situation, and this wpll have some effect in reducing general costs and stimulating general activity.

“But it is clear that some other cause is operating which is staying the natural course of events, and the most probable explanation is that the primary producer from whom most of this wealth has come, has, owing to high costs been left with such a small margin that there is not sufficient inducement for extending in that direction.

“When there is no movement in primary production for the utilisation of capital there can be little elsewhere in the Dominion, and hence we find that all the millions, which a bountiful nature has provided are in the meantime of no use to us.

“They have much the same problem of high cost in some other countries. An economic mission appointed by the British Government at the request of the Commonwealth Government reporting recently on conditions in Australia used these words, ‘There lies no task before the Australian

people more urgent than that of in some way breaking the vicious circle of rising costs and prices and bringing down costs of production as is being done in other industrial countries of the world.’

“These remarks apply with equal force to our own case, and we have also this in common with Australia that we both maintain a system of protective tariffs, the main object of which is to keep and add to the costs of production to which the British Economic Mission referred. TARIFFS

“This brings us to the fiscal question tout that question has been so often and so fully discussed toy us with reference to its effects upon our industry that I do not propose to deal with it here except to mention some attempts which have been made by the Executive to have our views thereon more widely ventilated. Some months ago it was decided to have a public meeting in the Auckland Town Hall vn order to put the farmers’ viewpoint before the people of the city. It was arranged that two of our ablest debaters, Captain Cojbeck and Captain Rushworth should speak. The meeting was well advertised but the attendance was somewhat disappointing. “The subject was handled by the Speakers in their usual clear and masterly manner but the audience did not appear to be convinced as to the seriousness of the situation for the resolution that was passed at the conclusion of the meeting merely expressed the opinion the the Farmers’ Union should look further into the matter.

“A series of discussions are in progress at the present time with representatives of the Manufacturers’ Association. They are the .people we are always in direct opposition to whenever there is a revision of the tariff, so that it is very possible that Conferences with them will have more practical results than addresses to the general public. *

“So far we have not found much in common, but we are at least getting one anothe* ’s view points. They have explained that their object is to build up the secondary industries so that another avenue of employment and wealth production may be developed which will remove most of our economic troubles. We have explained that we would welcome the development of the secondary industries so long as this can be done on world’s parity and does not add to the costs of production.

“But have endeavoured to impress upon them our opinion that primary production is already overloaded with costs owing to the protective tariffs upon which they rely,’ that we must have these tariffs reduced and that any and every increase will be strenuously opposed. FARMERS IN POLITICS

“.Judging by decisions which have been arrived at from time to time it is evident that the great majority of the members of the Uuion in this Province at all events, are of the opinion that more direct action in politics will assist us materially in gaining our objects. Following on the emphatic expression of opinion on this point given at last Conference the Executive has given the Country Party movement the fullest possible moral support of the Union and I think we may congratulate ourselves on the fact that the first decisive result has been attained and that the 'Country Party has made its first appearance inside of Parliament.

“I do not anticipate that anything will transpire at this Conference to alter the previous decision. , “I fee! sure the incoming Executive will continue to carry out the same policy, that the moral force of the Union in this matter will become eater and more effective as time goes on and that as a result of next election a solid force will be found ranged under Captain Rushworth, Loader of the Country Party..

“It only remains for me now to make brief reference to the present Agenda Paper. It is more lengthy than anything we have . had for some years 'which is a disadvantage in somo respects but it is no doubt a result of the development and of the greater awakening which has taken place in the Union. “We will have to stick closely to business and waste as little time as possible if we are to deal satisfactorily with the business before us.

“Many of the remits are what is called evergreen, but that should be no disparagement. We know our main objectives and we must not falter though the way seems We must persevere until we reach a successful issue.”

Mr. H. M. Rushworth, M.P., senior vice-president, thanked the president for his able and scholarly address on behalf of the meeting. _ LIST OF DELEGATES The full list of delegates is given below: Office-bearers: Messrs. A. A. Ross (president), H. M. Rushworth, M.P., and R. 11. Feisst (vice-presidents), W. H. Allen, E. Babe, H. Cookson, A. E. Harding, J. B. Jordan, A. N. Macky, W. L. Martin, M.P., H. C. MeCready, A. McL. Wright, H. O. Mellsop (members of executive). Delegates: T. J. Coulter, J. M. Dawson (Fairburn), A. F. Giles. (Rawene), H. Taylor (Kaitaia), H. K. Hatrick (Waimate North), A. W. Masters (Pukepoto), A. E. Robinson (Wai-papa-Kcri Keri), E. L. Walker (Fakaraka), L. M. Nicklin (Putaruru), C. ,J. Harkness (Waiuku), W. Bradshaw (Opotiki), D. Johnson (Springdale). Henry Barter (Waingaro), Frank Taylor (Kaukapakapa), M. E. Barrowclougli (Morrinsville), Bruce Dennis (Tirau), H. Watkin, S. U. Judd (Cambridge), H. Whitaker (Omaha), F. C. Elliott (Hukerenui), S. Petrie (Marohemo), G. Crawley (Puahue), J. G. Butterwortli (Te Rore), R. Miln (Kawhia South), A. Ramsay (Tauwhare)* P. Melrose (Walton), J. Marx (Te Papapa), A. Bryden (Mauku), A. Barr (Awakeri) and F. Colbeck and R. D. Duxfield (life members). Mr. G. Finn, president of the Auckland Manufacturers’ Association, was welcomed as a visitor to this morning’s session.