PRIMARY PRODUCTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1921, Page 8

PRIMARY PRODUCTS.

AN OPTIMISTIC VIEW. MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE ON FUTURE PROSPECTS. PRODUCE SAVES SITUATION. In declaring the conference of the Council of Agriculture open on Wednesday, the Hon. W. Nosworthy (Minister for Agriculture) said that the conditions in regard to the primary products of the country were not so good as they were twelve months ago, but it was sincerely hoped that the position would soon show the desired improvement. The marked drop in the wool market and the position of the industry had caused the Government a great deal of trouble, but arrangements had been made with the Wool Committee, and a minimum price of 5d for 56 grades downwards, and 9d for grades above s'd had been agreed to. Tho Government had kept away as far as possible from placing restrictions upon the sale of wool which might tend to hamper business. It was some satisfaction to know that large catalogues of wool had been offered at the .sales* and, although prices were low, competition was in evidence, and some business had resulted.

There had been a slight improvement' in the prices of fat and store cattle. Although the price of meat in London was not particularly low, the high freights had prevented the suppliers from receiving the benefit of the ruling prices to the extent that was desired A RECORD PRODUCTION. The production of dairy produce as well as the prices obtained was a record for the Dominion, and had returned something in the vicinity of £20.000,000. There had been a slight increase in respect to. cheese, but that of butter had been phenomenal. The present prospects were a great deal better than they were a few months ago; it was hard to say what the position would be in the future, but it was trusted that another record would be established. (Applause.) One thing was apparent, and that was that, had it not been for the export of dairy produce and the prices obtained, position in the Dominion would not have been saved. It was the dairy produce that saved, if not wholly, at least to a great extent, the position as far as New Zealand was concerned.

The question of the shipping position would, no doubt, be touched upon py the conference. The Prime 'Minister (the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey), who was in London, had the matter in hand, and would do his utmost -for the Dominion in this respect, and also in respect to the £8,000,000 excess profits which was being held by the Imperial authorities. The season haxl commenced with a clearance of the frozen meat stores, a position which had not been obtained for some years. The wheat yield had ‘been good considering the acreage that had been soUn. In fact, it had been remarkably good. If it proved as good this year, the most sanguine man should be satisfied. The Supply had been such that the demand of the country had been met. The oat market had not been as good as the wheat, but exports had taken place, and prices were on a better footing than was the case a few months ago.

DEPLETION OF FLOCKS. While the dairy industry had been "oing ahead, he was sorry to say thn.t there had been a drop in the sheep returns, which showed a decrease of 2,000,000. The previous year there was a decrease, and this year, he understood that the returns would show a decrease, of between 600,000 and-. 7-00,000. It wa-s hard to account for the, cause, but it was hoped that farmers would not allow their flocks to go down. Farmers, it was recognised, were passing through a crisis, but he was one *of those that believed that there was a better time in front of the wool industry, and that the time was not far distant when it would be placed on a better footing than it held to-day. It had been stated that, with the heap of wool that had to be disposed of, the position could not improve for five 'years, but now that Germany had got to work again, the strike in Great Britain had been settled, and that workers of all classes would soon be settling down to their employment and were getting busy, the market, he was optimistic enough to predict, would right itself in a much quicker time than some people thought. BIG PROBLEMS AHEAD.

There were some big problems in front.of the Government and the people of New’ Zealand, but it was realised that an insurance policy would have Lj bo taken out as far as the primary products of the country were concerned., If the primary products cannot prodifce the wealth first, the other industries and business of the Dominion could not advance. The taxation was a heavy burden to stagger under, but with the prosperity of the country the future was assured, and there was no better country than New Zealand to improve. If the well of primary products dried up, the rest of the country would dry up, and he sincerely trusted that when the conference was held again, the position w<niM hav « vastly improved. it was only combined effort, courage, and perseverance that the difficult problems which presented themselves to-day could be overcome. (Applause.)