PRODUCTIVITY OF NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22419, 4 June 1938, Page 4

PRODUCTIVITY OF NEW ZEALAND

* ■ Increase Illustrated By Minister “BALANCED ECONOMY” AS NATIONAL AIM (l-BESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, June 3. Figures illustrating the importance to New Zealand of its primary industries were quoted by the Acting-Minis-ter for Agriculture (the Hon. F. Langstone) when officially opening the Winter Show this afternoon. Mr Langstone also emphasised the growth of Secondary industries during the last few years, and spoke of the need for a planned future, in which both should take their legitimate place, for the benefit of the people of this country. “We have about 43,000,000 acres of land in cultivation,” Mr Langstone said, “although only a minor part of that is intensely cultivated, and it is safe to say that we have hardly touched the fringe of the scientific farming of this country. As years go on, we shall find that our production will double, treble, and quadruple as we begin to understand the scientific basis of farming. “We have about 31,000,000 sheep, i nearly 2,000,000 dairy cows, 2,300,000 other cattle, about 280,000 horses, and about 800,000 pigs. The number of holdings in New Zealand is about 85,480. and there are about 135,000 persons who are directly engaged in farming, with the result that when the effects of their activities are felt throughout the country, thousands and tens of thousands of people receive employment because of the work started by farmers.” Encouragement of Wheatgrowing The capital invested in farming amounted to about £481,000,000, Mr Langstone added, taking into account the value of plant and machinery, grain mills, meat works, dairy factories, and so on. Production arising from the investment of that capital included butter (177,650 tons), cheese (97,600 tons), wool (303,000,0001 b), and wheat (8.859,000 bushels). Certainly the amount of wheat grown was not sufficient for New Zealand's own requirements, but with the raising of the price by the Government to its present level of 5s 9d a bushel, it was hoped that encouragement would be given to growers to make provision for the greater production of this essential commodity and so make New Zealand independent) of overseas sources. i Dealing with meat production, the Minister said that last year there were 2,660,000 carcases of mutton slaughtered, 9,421,000 carcases of lamb, 484,000 carcases of beef cattle, and 1,150,000 pigs. Referring to the wholesale value of production, he instanced dairying, which was worth £32,700,000, wheat £8,800,000, and pastoral production £47,100,000, making a total production value of £88,600,000, which, with everything included, would probably amount to more than £100,000,^00. Growth of Secondary Industry New Zealand exported about 40 per cent, of its production, Mr Langstone said, and about 97 per cent, of the exports were made up of primary produce. That production formed the basis of New Zealand’s overseas credits and enabled the country to pay its debts and pay for necessary things that could not be produced in the Dominion, but secondary industries were also important, and in future they must grow and prosper step by step with primary industries, so that New Zealand could have a planned economy that would be productive of the greatest benefits for the people of the country. Instancing the growth of secondary industries, Mr Langstone said that there were now 5728 factories in New Zealand, an increase in one year of 192. Wages paid to employees, who numbered 96,401, compared with 86,588 last year, amounted to £18,000,000, an increase of more than £3,000,000 over the amount paid last year. The value of the production of secondary industries had risen ... from £90,000,000 to £106,000,000 in a year, thus showing the vast amount of activity that had taken place. The cost of material used in factories had risen from £59,940,000 in 1935-36 to £70,668,000 the next year, and the balance, after costs had been met, had increased from £5,642,000 to £6,581,000. “I know there can be a great expansion. in the bpsic industries, such as the manufacture of our wool into textiles,” the Minister said, "and in the manufacture" of leather articles from hides and in other ways there are opportunities for the development of industries in New Zealand. There are indications that greater use is being made of the great hydro-electric potentialities in New Zealand. The value of plant and machinery in secondary industry is nearly £70,000,000, having increased by more than £2,000,000 in one year.”