The Bay of Plenty Times THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1949. Increased Production In N.Z.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 15057, 18 August 1949, Page 2

The Bay of Plenty Times THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1949. Increased Production In N.Z.

"Production to the Utmost of our ability is New Zealand s task todav. The fullest use of the Dominion's wonderful productive usonrces is the duty which the world, net Britain alone, °* us today." These remarks were made by .Mr P. P. \^ 1 ' d \ ' of the Aid for Britain National Council, m his report to the cot, , this week. The people of New Zealand should never forget stated Mr Walsh, that thev had a heavy responsibility on their shouldeis. New Zealand was one of the world's most favoured producing areas The degree to which the people of this country made the iul.estuse of their resources would determine their ultimate future. The war has been over for some four years, but there are sti 1 two-thirds of the people in this world under-fed. under-housed, under-clothed, many of them not far distant from New Zealand, we cannot forever sit here in comfort and security, with a minimum of effort while'great sections of the world's peoples starve, borne day these peoples will move against us, unless we play a full share in seeing that their lot improves, and improves rapidly. There has been no lack of effort to impress upon the primary producers of New Zealand the nature and the extent of the production campaign to which thev have been pledged for the next tew years Favoured by very good climatic conditions, the production of foodstuffs in the 1948-49 production years has shown'a magnificent advance. What it will seem to many people, should be the aim is not simply increased production of meat, butter and cheese, or of foodstuffs in any other form, but a lifting of the productive capacity of the Dominion. Increased production probably could be obtained in various ways, but they might involve the "mining of the land rather than the maintaining and improving of its productive capacity. All care must be taken to ensure that, when the campaign is ended, the productive potential -of our farm lands is greater than ever. This effort and its urgency cannot be questioned must be so directed that the increase of production represents a growing capacity to produce. The need is for the area under cultivation to. be extended as rapidly and as economically as possible. The '< nl.slai.ding economic problem of New Zealand is to find some system whereby undeveloped land can be broken and hill country improved at a cost that will make successful farming possible. And that would mean, an increase in production not for a brief period of years, but For al! time.