93

North Island, not subject to severe erosion nor too steep nor too high for farming, which can be brought into full production only by top-dressing. In addition, there are 11,000,000 acres which will always have severe limitations for farming. Some of this is in bush and scrub (about 5,000,000 acres) but some is at present being farmed. Comparatively little can be done on a national plan at present to assist the remaining 6,000,000 acres of this land. Let us concentrate- on bringing into full production the 10,000,000 acres of potentially good land that needs mainly fertilizer for development. (iv) Development Plan We cannot develop 10,000,000 acres in one year. We could neither grass it nor stock it if it were developed. But having regard to our seedproduction and the natural increase of stock, we should be able to develop 250,000 acres of this each year. This will take forty years to achieve full production in the North Island on our potentially good farming lands. We believe this should be set as a programme and every effort made to achieve it, with stronger emphasis on the development of lands at present occupied, leaving the development of unoccupied lands until later. The principal requirements to such a forty-year plan each year would be — Labour — Management .. .. .. Already available on occupied land. Scrub-cutting, fencing, top-dressing 1,000 (based on 1 man to 250 acres). Seed (25 lb. per acre) .. .. 3,000 tons. Fertilizer —3 cwt. each first three First year, 37,500 tons ; second years ; thereafter 1 cwt. annually year, 75,000 tons ; third year, 112,500 tons; fourth year, 125,000 tons, increasing by 12,500 tons each year to reach 450,000 tons annually. This fertilizer would be required in addition to the present usage of 450,000 tons, making a total requirement forty years from now of 900,000 tons of fertilizer for the North Island. And this has allowed only 1 cwt. per acre annual top-dressing after establishment, and no further extension of manuring on soils which will maintain pastures without it. Allowing for these, and some fertilizer which will be used on the lands with severe limitation, it is reasonable to fix the eventual demand of the North Island at 1,000,000 tons. What of the South Island ? At present it uses 150,000 tons. Because of the limitations imposed by rainfall, the general response from fertilizer is less than in the North Island except for some coastal areas and areas under irrigation. The South Island demand for fertilizer is not likely to be as great as that of the North Island. In the absence of the completed soil survey, let us put the ultimate usage at 500,000 tons. This means an over-all position as follows : Present. In Forty Years. Tons. Tons. South Island .. .. .. 150,000 500,000 North Island .. .. .. 450,000 1,000,000 600,000 1,500,000