AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 221, 18 September 1930, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION.

To suggest, as has -been, done iby implication in the jceport of the interview of $? New Zealand Institute with ™e Minister of Education* that agriculture *£ practised in this country is in danger of overcrowding, is the sheerest nonsense. . New Zealand is supplying a world market with i&e essentials of life and we have one of the choicest portions of the earth given into our care for this purpose.' What we need above all in our community from an economic stand" r point is an intelligent, vigorous rural ' : , community in sufficient numbers to ensure that our produce forms a substantial proportion,of any particular line of manufacture. Coincident with this we must have the rest of the people understanding and appreciating #»* agriculture is basic and is more than industry—it is an institution. The -'best product of any cation comes ifrom its community, and economically and socially the people of this Dominion should ensure ■«»* whatever steps are necessary to make agricul: ture prosperous are carried out. It is not by any means a question of inducing young people to go in for a country life, but to give those who lave the inclination the necessary facilities to go there and to produce wealtii forth emselves and for the rest of us. For iihose who have no particular bent steps should be taken to give them an opportunity to.appreciate how Infinitely varied and interesting are the different branches of our great primary industries. It is regrettable that those.who should be leaders should give such an incorrect impression from the representations made to the Minister. N. G. GRIBBLE, | Secretary, New Zealand Land Settlement and Development League.