From Cowshed to Consumer State Aid is Available

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1940, Page 15 (Supplement)

From Cowshed to Consumer State Aid is Available

The scientist or the investigator is no longer regarded as a man of theories and abtruse calculations that may be of much interest to him, but are of little practical use to the farmer or factory manager. In industrial life generally, and farming is the Dominion's most important industry, scientific investigation (using the term in its widest sense) is now regarded as an important factor in sound management and the means of achieving better results. That is the acid test applied to research work. It is results that count. If the Investigation of a disease affecting live stock at the Wallaceville or Ruakura Research Stations reduces depreciation on the farm the benefit to industry more than repays the expenditure the investigation has involved. Similarly, trials and experiments at the Plant Research Institute at Palmerston North are showing the way to improved pastures and root crops and so to greater production and better earnings from the farm. At Cawthron Institute the search is continuous for means whereby insects and other blights that affect farm plants and trees may be eliminated. _ The Dairy Research Institute is an institution of vital importance to Taranaki. Its investigations are doubtless full of interest to the individual scientist, but the dairy industry judges them by results — and has not been disappointed. Elsewhere in this issue will he found details of research and experiment conducted at the institute and it will be noted that every inquiry has a practical outcome intended t S improve the quality of dairy produce, and to enable better management on the farm and in the factory. . ,, Supporting and co-operating with the research stations are the field and othei expert officers of the Department of Agriculture. They see the results of experiment and research tried on the farms and in the factories. They make contact with the stockowner, the agriculturalists, the cheese and butter makers, for whose benefit all the research work is undertaken. Occasionally they have to take a stern attitude with the individual whose ignorance or inefficiency is endangering farm production in his district, but

speaking generally the departmental officer is now regarded as the friend and not the policeman of the farming community. Last, but by no means least in this review of the assistance being rendered by officials and research workers to the "more production movement," is tho Marketing Department. It has two divisions, one dealing with the produce ex ported and the other chiefly with primary products disposed of within the Dominion, although during the war the Internal Marketing Division is supervising the disposal of some commodities within and beyond New Zealand. Speaking generally the export division deals with the sale soverseas of butter, cheese, tallow, meat and wool and the internal

division with the disposal of eggs, honey and potatoes within the D'ominion and overseas, the local distribution of ^butter and cheese, the production and disposal of maize (under a guaranteed price) with importations of maize and barley and their distribution through existing mercantile agencies. There are of course many opinions regarding the wisdom or otherwise of State controlled marketing of primary produce in normal times. For the duration of the war such arguments are suspended New Zealand has but one customer for her primary products, the ..Government of Great Britain. It is fairly obvious that the Government of the Dominion must be the agency by which such a wide trade agreement could be made and controlled, and there is also the vital question of making the best use of the restricted means of transport due to cncmy action at sea. The officials of the Marketing Department are not concerned with questions of policy. Their function is to see that the dispatch and disposal of New Zealand produce is carried out with all the efficiency war conditions will allow. It is a task that is more difficult than is sometimrs appreciated, especially in regard to certain products such as meat, eggs, arid fruit. The department records with satisfaction that it is receiving co-oper-ation from the farming industry in departmental efforts to make the best of difficult conditions.