The Daily News. FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1920. THE FARMING INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1920. THE FARMING INDUSTRY.

At the annual conference of the Taranaki provincial branch of the Earners' Union on Wednesday the president, Mr. R. Dunn, presented a report that should be carefully considered, not only by farmers, bilt by the public generally. Practically every important factor having an influence on the farming industry was ably and forcefully dealt with by Mr. Dunn, with the result that conditions of the industry, its outlook and needs, were plainly indicated, and some valuable advice as well as timely warnings were given to farmers. The keynote of the address was greater production, and incidentally larger returns. At the outset the president impressed on his audience the fact that farming land is only worth what it can produce after paying expenses, and that prices of exportable products of the farm are controlled by the world's markets. In this connection reference was made to the effect of the present land boom, especially in view of the unsettled state of shipping, shortage and high cost of labor and fertilisers, increase of taxation and of the necessary commodities for domestic and farm use. "I would," said Mr. Dunn, "advise caution; there is a limit." Exceptional circumstances connected with repatriation and the temporary scarcity of foodstuffs in Europe have combined to inflate land values abnormally, while instead of increasing, production has been steadily decreasing during the ten-year period 1908-1918. The fear expressed by the president that farmers have been looking at their returns from the wrong viewpoint is well grounded. They have been only taking notice of the apparent money values of their products, and not taking into consideration the depreciated value of the sovereign by seven shillings since the outbreak of war. In emphasising this important point Mr. Dunn has been of great service, and those engaged in the industry will do well to take this fact to heart and use their utmost endeavors to increase the volume of their output in the best inter-1 ests of themselves and of the State. In order to enable this most desirable aim to be achieved more population is required, and Mr. Dunn strongly advocates that New Zealand should enter upon a vigorous immigration campaign. It is well knojvn that thousands of useful emigrants are keenly desirous to settle in the Dominions, but that, so far as New Zealand is concerned, no shipping facilities have been forthcoming. The danger of not taking active steps to transport emigrants to the Dominion is that _ the enforced waiting may play into the hands of more enterprising countries, which may secure the pick of the emigrants from the Homeland has on several occasions acknowledged the great need of the country for a good supply of efficient la,bor. _ Mere words are useless. The time for action has arrived —a year hence it will be too late. "If," said Mr. Dunn, "New Zealand desires more population, she should prepare now to act for herself," and he quoted a statement made recently byj Mr. Sedgivick, that it did not. cost £2O to migrate a trained soldier whose labor "would enrich the commonwealth by £IOO a year. The cutting up of large estates and the settlement thereon ot a numbei o'. returned soldiers may certainly be expected to help towards greate. production, but the two great factors are the opening up of land which has not yet been brought into cultivation, and the introdnc t.ion of new settlers from overseas. "Any money spent in assisting new'settlers to bring new land into cultivation," said Mr. Dunn, "will be a gilt-edged investment for the State. The more new land brought in, the more production That, is the position in a nutshe.i, land it emphasises the need for I immigrant*, not only as Droducers,

but for providing the labor required to carry out the public works essential for opening up new country and providing transport. facilities. Even then the list of essentials is not by any means complete. Farmers require large quantities of artificial manures, cheap lime, hydro-electric power and many other aids to greater production, as well as the establishment of secondary industries for the manufacture of byproducts in the Dominion, and they urgently need either a. Stateowned or a co-operative fleet of; sfhips to market their produce, and supply those .requirements which have to be imported. The great prosperity which the farmers have been and 'are enjoying is gratifying, and it has brought vast sums of money into the country, so that development is made easy if it takes place on sound lines. Mr. Massey has recently uttered words of serious warning that prices for produce may be expected to decline. That makes it all the more imperative on-the part of the Government to do all in its power at the earliest moment to protect the future of the country by securing the means for greater production, and it emphasises the danger of delay.