The Waikato Times THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1938 NEED FOR CONCENTRATION

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20502, 19 May 1938, Page 8

The Waikato Times THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1938 NEED FOR CONCENTRATION

. e Colnmj ttee set up by farmers at Ivereone some weeks ago ep 7 «m PreSei ! , th " r “Crests in the campaign against facial ,° Ck u haS SUted that i 4 is not satisfied with the p ion as it obtains here. Clearly it regards the problem of findmg a cure for the recurring trouble to be a matter for the expert in ant an soil chemistry, and that would probably be endorsed bv :“ e *! ea ‘ of farmers. A careful study of the animals afcted, both before and after death, may serve to throw' valuable lght on the subject, but for the actual cause search must be made e sewhere. The matter is of such importance that the Government would be justified in mobilising the entire strength of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and setting that staff the task of discovering the causes of this disastrous outbreak. Let it be a test of their capacity, individually and collectively, and to the extent that skilled veterinary assistance is required it should be made available.

The committee will have been pleased to hear that the Government intends to provide for those who have been hardest hit a measure of financial assistance. Mr Nash, speaking on Monday C said that the details had not then been "worked out, and it was probable that the help given would take the form of loans at low rates of interest. The first thing to be done is to have the extent of the losses and the position of the producers accurately stated. The men who can carry on will be anxious to do so, because, whatever the terms, a loan means an added liability. It is the men who, having invested all they had in their properties, cannot find the security for a further advance, the men at the limit of their financial resources, who must be helped first, and inquiry is essential to discover who and where the}- are. And, unfortunately, the extent of the losses cannot be gauged at this stage. It remains to be seen whether the lambing is very much below normal, and some of the preliminary investigations indicate that heavy losses must be anticipated in many instances on this account. The cumulative losses to the district and to the Dominion must be very heavy. Xo Government, as a rule, likes to give any measure of direct control, in matters that involve expenditure of State funds, to an unofficial body, but it is probable that, if the Cabinet could enlist the services of the committee appointed by the* farmers at the Ivereone meeting, it could measure the degree of financial assistance needed by individual farmers with greater accuracy than most State officials. Their work could be truly selective, and that is what is required. Those who have suffered most, but who with reasonable help could recover their position, are the producers to have first attention. That is what is meant by saying that the system of giving assistance would be selective. But, when all is said, the great task is to prevent these outbreaks, and so avoid the need for any State aid of this character. Xo people could rest content with simply mitigating the adverse effects. The cause and the cure are the things desired, and the Department formed to undertake work of scientific research should be entrusted with this big job. There is no room for any personal, divisional or departmental differences, and if the committee is not satisfied with the position as it obtains then, as they are directly concerned, and speak for the producers, let them press for alterations knowing that they w-ill have the support of the entire district.