"WATCH OUR STEP"

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 31, 6 February 1937, Page 10

"WATCH OUR STEP"

FIXATION OF PRICES. ! DOMINION'S MANY RIVALS. CAUTION BY GOVERNMENT. ( (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) AVIIANGARKr, this day. "Xo country in the world is blessed with such beauty of flora us Xew Zealand." said the Minister in charge of State Forests and Scenic Preservation, the, Hon. ]•'. Langstonc, in replying to a toast at a civic reception accorded him in Whangarei last evening.

The Minister said that in the early days much of the forests had been cut down and that was responsible for many of the Hoods which occurred to-day. The Government was now being called upon continually to make pood the damage. There was a wonderful opportunity for reafforestation,

The Minister referred to the Government's land policy and to the importance of the British market. He said that to-day most of the Crown lauds had been taken up, and it was dilliciilt to find land to meet the requirements of all those who desired to go farming. The slump had brought about a condition which made a change of policy in the development of land necessary. It was not enough to place men on tlnland, with ii.> roads and many handicaps. In the past men had gone on the land with all they had and had borrowed from the State or from other sources, and after struggling there for a period. , had to leave.' Under these circumstances land settlement was a

precarious occupation and anyone who had studied land settlement" in this country over a long period would see that many men who had taken up land went ofT poorer than when they had begun.

A new policy had to be undertaken, and that policy required that the land be developed under proper supervision and direction. Over !IO() areas were now ing possibly 1200 men. The Government knew before the men went on the land what its carrying capacity would be, excluding charges for improvements. If there were any capital charges the land could not carry, they were wiped oIT. That was the policy of the Govern-

Mr. Langstono also referred to the vital problem of marketing Xew Zealand produce. "Xew Zealand's greatest competitor is Hot butter, but marga-l-ine," said Mr. Lnngstone. "Tlicrcforc tile question of price fixation in the Xew Zealand industry is all-important. It is no use shutting nur eves to the fact. We have to watch our step and see if we can organise a national economy that will bring about the best results for everyone. The British taste in food lias changed, and to-day large quantities of pigs and poultry are being eaten in place of lamb and mutton. All this has a big bearing on farming in Xew Zea-