PREMIER AND PRODUCER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 26, 20 June 1914, Page 6

PREMIER AND PRODUCER.

A ORIiAX WiiLUJME. (From Our .Special Reporter.) Mr. -Ua.sey p.u.l a. vi-,i!. to Hie Dairv Unicrem-e at the !\u(.u>iial Show oil Wednesday, and v,a„ ar.-ouicd a ven ontt.unuisuc ui'icua.e. ,\i j,o i ntcrcci tile lecture hali Liu- large alienee i..-pi'e-entative of fannin- ° uIL .rcls iVuui ml parts of the Noilii'Jsl.uiu, ro-,e ami cheered him.

-Mr. Morion oxpiv-s.-d their pleasure at wcl,o:iii;ig the Premier, a weh-umc which was all the heanier -because as Minister of Agriculture he was head of the Agricultural Department, which assisted their work so much.

> Mr. Massey expressed lii.s surprise at tho magnitude of the gathering, hut lie delighted, lie siiiii! 1„ attend .-u-li a large gathering 0 f those, in the dairying industries of the Dominion, Speaking from memory, he ...aid that tho value of dairy exports now .amounted to over four million, and. would in: reuse each year. There was no industry on which t'he. prosperity of the country i[cpended more—though all industries were on a gojd footing—and he \v'us\ ;,nrc good must roiult from this conference, in which tliey exchanged idea*, lie was very pleased to hca r Unit his Depaii;ment was recognised as having been of servieo to them, ami as far as the Department was concerned everything possible would be done to assi-it' fhenu lie was pleased to announce tfiuit during the last few weeks arrangements had been made fo r more favorable rates of freight to Canada and the United States for butter and cheese. This was a very important trade, and thousrh the concessions were not as much Y, ']•■■ would ihavo liked to get. yet the w'w coi.traet, b.i.-c.i on the present quanti; exported, meant a saving of £j(HH> now and a further saving of another V>M-i two years hcii.-e. lie had trip;! (» arrange for a free service along tv.e American eo.t.d., as was done h/rc bv the companies, but was unahle to do so. The terminal port was not in New Zealand, but in Australia. In five year-' time he estimated the export to America would have lcqro than doubled, ticferring to his position as Minister of Agriculture, he raid that he was a son of the soil, ikaving made his living oh" the land all - s life—"until two years ago. since when I have made it another way.'" he interpolated.. The Agricultural bepartment cost £200,000 to run each year, and it was ilvis businef) to see that they got vajte for their money. If lie had no other duties to occupy h:-:n. he could make a success of the Department, but he had not the time. Tdat was generally Hie way v.-ith the head of that Department. Some had had the experience but no tim.>, otira-s t'he time but no experience, lie had, therefore, come to the conclusion that it would lie advisable to follow the example of other .countries and .set up a Hoard of Agriculture. This had accordingly been done, eight of the monrbens to' be appointed by the A. and P. Societies, four by the. Governm>Et. do far the Government had appointed three, having left one vacancy to see if it was nece-sary to appoint some one to assist a branch that r< quired further strength or might jiavc been overlooked, .lie was quite satisfied the rigjli-t thing had been done. Tlie Board was composed of hard-headed practical men. It was the duty of the Hoard to took after the interests of Agriculture, and .speciallv look after methods and markets in England, Canada, America, and France. II: had already submitted a. great man', questions to them, and felt their advice would be of Linch't to the whole Dominion. (Applause.)

The chairman, in his eoneliuliiijr remarks, informed the Premier that V.-.'m was the i)ij,'jc--l and moat representative gathering of ll e dairy industry ever held in New Xiakiml up to the present moment.