MINISTER OF LANDS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10350, 13 March 1925, Page 5

MINISTER OF LANDS.

VISIT TO ASHBURTON.

WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT.

ASSISTANCE TO FARMERS. The Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister of Lands, arrived in Ashburton this morning from Geraldine, and was met at the County Council Chambers by Mr W. G. Gallagher (chairman of the County Council), the Mayor (Mr 11. Galbraith), Mr J. Brown (representing the farmers of the district), and members of the County Council. The Minister was accompanied by Mr G. H. Bullard (Commissioner of Crown Lands) and Mr A. W. Mulligan (private secretary). On behalf of the county, Mr Gallagher welcomed the Minister on his first official visit.

The Mayor, on behalf of the ,jorough, and Mr Brown also welcomed the Minister, Mr Brown asking him to address the fanners on his next visit.

Mr McLeod said it gave him great pleasure to visit Ashburton. His tour aad been a very pleasant one, and a very satisfactory one. As with other parts of the Dominion, this county had its difficulties, and as far as he could see, the difficulties w T ere less than those in other parts, especially in the North Island. Apparently the people here were satisfied with their lot, for they had not pestered him with matters they could right themselves. This was generous on their part._ It seemed nowadays that there was just a little too much inclination on the part of most people to fly to the Government for assistance at the first signs of a gathering storm. The difficulties with which Canterbury was faced were not as great as they might bo, he thought. One of the greatest was the matter of the rivers, which gave a justifiable uneasiness, but he found there had been an honest intention to grapple with the trouble. The national side of this matter would have to be dealt with by the Government, whether it be the present one or any other. Not only in the South Island were these dangers apparent, but in Canterbury the rivers had destroyed a lot of good land. He was glad to hear there were no troubles in Ashburton to be brought before him that day. It was a welcome piece of news. The same thing applied in about the same measure to the county. He knew the value of the two great sections of the community working together—the town section and the country section. One could not get along without the other.

Business Men’s Resolutions. The Minister referred to a circular issued by the Chambers of Commerce and sent throughout New Zealand, condemning the action of the Government over certain things. If the resolutions contained in it were passed by the business men of the country, all he oould say was that it did not show much evidence of intelligence on the part of those same business men. He was convinced the resolutions did not voice 5 per cent, of the business community. They were mainly the work of a certain section, and he was sure those people were the ones who had done nothing to help the primary producers. He belonged to a Government that was not going to be intimidated by any such circulars, which, if persevered in, would bring about Bolshevism and Socialism quicker than anything else could bring them into this country.

No Outstanding Trouble!, Mr Gallagher said they had no outstanding troubles in the county. Uil© of their troubles was the recovery of rates on soldiers’ lands. Those in Ashburton bad done splendidly, but some bad gone into arrears, and the county had not gone to extreme measures. Another thing was re-valuation. The county had not been allowed to charge on the re-valued land. In connection with experimental work, Mr Gallagher said they should look to the time when prices would not be as high as they are now, and lie hoped the Minister would do all he could with research work. _ There was only a small area over which the Ashburton Experimental Farm could help the man on the land. Mr Brown said the Minister of Agriculture had been asked for an increased grant to forward the work of experimenting with grasses, etc., earned out by Dr. Hilgendorf at Lincoln College. The Government had given £SOO a year for the past five years, but this was not sufficient to carry on the good work. The farmers or Canterbury were anxious to see the work progress. Referring to education on the subject, he said that a man who took his diploma, at Lincoln College should be allowed to go on to the University. Some of the present instructors had had theoretical training, but no practical training. If they were afforded opportunity to be practically there would be even better results. The variations of the land were such that it was difficult to get anv great results from the Ashburton Experimental Farm.

The Revaluation problem. Mr McLeod said he would leave literature with the county dealing with the collection of rates. In the North Island the difficulties m this matter were (greater than in this Island. In his own electorate there were Inrge <snms outstanding, and 11 he could not get it in in his own county he could not get it irom Ashburton. He realised they bad men on land which had never been Crown land. At least up to the basis of the revaluation figures the 1 soldiers should nav the rates, and some wav should be devised whereby they could collect. Tlie position would not be rectified till the whole Dominion had been revalued, which was long overdue. On account of the large amount of loans asked for, the Revaluation Department was engaged almost solely in looking into valuations, and could nGu do much else. There bad been too much trouble in bringing outside valuers into certain districts. This was altogether wrong. The valuers should go over a district, pick out suitable'" holdings, and discuss among tb-’mselves a fair basis of values. With regard to agricultural knowledge .Mr McLeod said the Minister of Agriculture had done more than anyone else along this line, but he was hampered on all sides by lack of finance. An atmosphere—that all the farmers wanted more and more knowledge—should be created. They had

been very las indeed in spending so little in obtaining a better knowledge of our soils and a greater agricultural education. They must make the educationists know they must cater for those dealing with the land. To hold their place as a producing country they must have that atmosphere. Expariments with Fertilisers.

He believed that they should manufacture cheaper fertilisers, which would make a huge change to the country. All the same, they must not use fertilisers without ci. proper knowledge of their uses. Therefore they should experiment more. A scheme of subsidising a number of farms had been thought out by himself. Selected farmers could then use fertilisers as directed, and they could share the risk, instead of taking it all. They were in the wheat-growing belt of New Zealand, and the wheat-grower had had a hard row to hoe, and because of this he was assured that less wheat would be grown in New Zealand in future. They would turn to sheep-raising, a thing they were quite entitled to do. If one said that the men on the land should be made ta grow wheat, they might as well make the men on the wharves work. There was a feeling in the North Island that the South Island farmers were getting protection, but this was mostly ei Press campaign. If a. protection of 3d were given to the farmer, someone else immediately grabbed 6d out of it' before the bread was made. They did: not want to be faced with a position] to have to rely on other countries. The increase in the price of bread was, he thought, a move to force the hands of the Government. The primary producers deserved a good hearing, and his Government had held the scales as fairly as it could. (Applause.)

Mr C. Reid said the farmers would be pleased to see Mr McLeod back again to put some heart into them. He hoped the Minister would go into the matter of bridges over the rivers of the county. He was pleased the Minister had called at Ashburton.

There were no other deputations, and the Minister then left to inspect the Experimental Farm. The County Council entertained the Ministerial party to luncheon at the Commercial Hotel, after which they left for Christchurch, yia Rakaia ah(l Southbridge.