DAIRYING DECLINE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 63, 15 March 1944, Page 4

DAIRYING DECLINE

FOUR MAIN REASONS

NEED FOR A "NEW SPIRIT" (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Replying to Opposition criticism that primary production had fallen seriously, Mr. Thorn (Govt., Thames), speaking in the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives last night, said that during the war the fact was that primary production had increased enormously. That was clearly shown in a document that had been issued to all members of the House by the National Service Department. Therefore, both the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Holland, and the member for Waikato, Mr. Goosman, had either spoken in ignorance of the facts, or they had misrepresented them to the public.

Mr. Thorn said that woll and meat had shown an enormous increase in production, and the area laid down in crops had also increased greatly.

Mr. Goosman: Now tell us about dairying.

Mr. Thorn said that wool and meat modity in respect of which any real apprehension could be felt was dairy produce. It was maintained at the average per year over the three-year period immediately before the war, except that in 1940-41, which was a miracle producing season, production was 12,000 tons higher than in the average of those three years. Production fell in 1942-43 and 1943-44. Last year the production of butter and cheese was about 23,000 tons less than in 1941-42. The

reasons for that were four. In the main they were: The change from butter to cheese and from cheese back to butter; the loss of fertilisers due to the occupation of Nauru and Ocean Islands, labour shortages, and the unfavourable weather conditions. It should be emphasised that where the weather conditions were good, production had increased, even though there had been fertiliser and labour shortages.

Mr. Thorn also contended that from the moment an increase in price had been given to producers, the number of dairy cows in milk started to decline until to-day there were about 75,000 less than when the Government came into olfice. Evidence showed that it was not certain that increased production would result merely by giving an increased price. The need to-day among farmers and in every section of the community was not pressure on gioups, but. a new spirit of service and of willingness to co-operate and sacrifice.