COCKSFOOT TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 120, 23 May 1928, Page 4

COCKSFOOT TRADE.

GROWERS SEEK PROTECTION.

ONE PENNY PER LB

The latest application for tariff protection comes from the farmers of Banks .feninsula, Canterbury, who grow 80 per cent of all the cocksloot produced in .New Zealand. The position is that quite a large amount of cockstoot seed comes to New Zealand from European countries, chiefly Denmark, and undersells the Dominion article. It is claimed by Southerners that the Akaroa cockstoot is superior to the Danish, but Auckland merchants reiuse to subscribe to this dictum, claiming that several years' experience in handling Danish has satisfied them that its qualities oi germination are quite equal to Dominion grown, liecently at the request oi Southern merchants, the Department ot Agriculture issued regulations whereby imported cocksloot, in common with other imported seeds, should be stained before shipment so as to distinguish it irom the local article. It had been claimed that Danish cocksfoot had been sold as 2s ew Zealand and instances have been quoted where Southern merchants mixed the two lines. However, the cockstoot growers of Canterbury are apparently not satisfied with the assurance thus given that in future imported seeds must be designated as such; they now ask ior a duty oi one penny per lb and a request to this effect was made to the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. O. J. Hawken, in Christchurch last week. The attitude of the deputation may be gauged irom the remarks of Mr. H. S. 8. Kyle, M.JL*., who said: "The matter is a Dominion question, aijd not a Canterbury one. By research it had been proved that the local cocksfoot was vastly superior to the seed which was imported from Denmark. The deteriorated lands in the North Island were one result of the use of Danish cocksfoot. Lincoln College had proved that the New Zealand seed was the best, so why allow the importation of an inferior article?"

Mr. W. Moore, who represented the distant bays, said that Peninsula farmers were going in for Bheep more and more, and as a result the cocksfoot crops were deteriorating. If they had to go out of the cocksfoot business altogether, as some had already done, the land would be in the same position as the deteriorated lands of the .North Island. Twenty years ago 2000 men were employed during the cocksfoot season, but last season there were barely 100 men employed. Mr. T. Thompson, chairman of the Wairewa County Council, Baid that they could guarantee that the seed was 98 per cent pure, whereas the Danish seed brought with it most of the noxious weeks of the Dominion. In one sample of Danish seed there were 29 other varieties of seeds discovered. New Zealand had no natural noxious weeds .and all the present troubles were imported.

Keplying, Mr. Hawken said that it was many years since cocksfoot had been grown in the North Island, for the profits irom it did not compare with those to be obtained from dairying. He would quite agree that the cocksloot grown on the Peninsula was as good as any in the world and possibly better. The pedigree and permancy of the pasture were superior to anything in the world. It would be a good thing if New Zealand farmers used New Zealand cocksfoot. He knew, however, that all the needs could, not be supplied ior two or three years, because cocksfoot would not come back within twelve months. ,A duty on cocksfoot would be different from other duties, because it would have to be paid by their fellow farmers.

The Minister went on to say that the growers had done little in tne way of advertising to push their products. They had waited until the Department had proved it was the best in the world and he was not sure that they had done one "darned" thing to help themselves. Every bag that came out of the Peninsula should be, certificated*