FARM PRODUCTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 July 1939, Page 6

FARM PRODUCTION

NO EVIDENCE. OF PERMANENT DECLINE TIME ERRONEOUS PROPAGANDA CEASED. MINISTER SURVEYS POSITION. »By Telegraph—Press Association.' WELLINGTON. This Day. A declaration that it was time enoneous propaganda regarding pastoral production in New Zealand ceased was made by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon W. Lee Martin, when opening the annual conference of the Farmers Union. Mr Martin quoted statistics with the object of showing that the position was by no means as serious as had been suggested. There was no evidence to prove that total production was showing any permanent decline. Sheep flocks as at Apiil 30 showed a decrease of over 500,000 and ediorials had been written stating that sheep production was going down. That was not correct. There had been a bad fattening season in 1938 and a large number of animals which normally would have been slaughtered before the end of April were carried forward to the 1939 season. This year, to April 30, there were killed 21,000 tons more of mutton and lamb than for the corresponding period last year and making allowance for the half million sheep drop as representing 12,000 tons, the Dominion actually produced 9000 tons more meat last year than in the previous year, but the real test was an increase or decrease in the number of breeding ewes and when the final figures were published they would show a substantial increase. In 1937 wool production was 303,000,0001b5, and in 1938, it was 297,000,0001bs in spite of the' fact that New Zealand shore a million more sheep, but the clip was a-light one, averaging 1 lb less than in the previous year, said Mr Martin. This year a million more sheep were again shorn and the clip being moderately heavy, Nev/ Zealand had produced more wool than ever in its history. Yet inapplicable statistics were used to prove that production was declining. DAIRY COWS. In regard to dairy cows, since 1935 the number had decreased by 79,000. Ffty per cent of the dairy cows were in two provinces, and in these there had been no decline, but an increase of, 4000. If cows in milk only were taken the increase had been 11,000. If Taranaki were excepted, the decline that had taken place was in mainly sheep districts and of that drop 20,000 took place a year before the Government came into office. As an offset to the decrease in dairy cows, there had been an increase of 145.000 beef cows and two million breeding ewes, showing clearly that in these districts farmers had gone back to their usual farming practice. Many of them milked cows to help them through the slump time. DEPARTMENT’S EXPENDITURE. The Minister also dealt with what the Department was incurring in expenditure. Anyone seeing the expenditure for the past year, £1,078,000, would fly to the conclusion that it was spent by the Department, but the real position was that £600,000 was paid in subsidies for the free carriage of lime, a reduction of freight on fertiliser and agricultural products and subsidies on fruit being the main items. In addition, £lOO,OOO was paid out under statutes for the maintainanee of agricultural colleges, compensation on deceased stock and rabbit board subsidies. Mr Martin said the actual cost of the department was £310,000. The Minister said internal difficulties were capable of adustrnent, but he was apprehensive of two external factors, restrictive export of commodities to the main market and a rise of wool substitutes in the textile world. Alternative markets should be fully explored. In regard to wool, the real disturbing feature of substitutes was the comparative cheapness of manufacture and the even price maintained during long periods. The Minister said high prices never did the woolgrower any good. His difficulties almost always follow yi a season or so at abnormally high prices. The Minister appealed for a greater measure of cooperation in the future than had been given in the past.