The Star. FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 1945. Lime Supplies

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24653, 24 August 1945, Page 4

The Star. FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 1945. Lime Supplies

In his address to the annual meeting of the Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union, Mr G. H. Grigg rightly emphasised the value of lime in increasing the production of pastoral and agricultural land in Canterbury and in helping to restore the fertility of soils which have been sadly depleted by over-cropping and over-feeding during the war years. During the last 10 or 15 years Canterbury farmers, slower in this respect than their fellows in Southland, where heavy liming has been the practice f(j>r the last 50 or 60 years, have made increasing use of lime. Though strictly accurate figures are not available, since some farmers make use of lime deposits on their own properties, the use of lime in Canterbury has increased from about 10,000 tons annually about 12 years ago to approximately 120,000 tons last year. And it seems certain that had larger quantities been readily available a great deal more would have been used. The free carriage of lime on railways for 100 miles, while an excellent stimulus to the use of lime when the measure was introduced and other forms of transport were not available, has tended in more recent years to restrict the distribution of the much larger supplies pow required. Modern transport has facilitated the bulk handling and distribution of lime, as Mr Grigg pointed out is done in the United States, with great benefit to production. What is now needed is a system by which lime can be transported in .bulk direct from the quarries to the farms, or where haulage would be over too great distances, from central depots in the different districts. Lime deposits occur over considerable areas in Canterbury; and it may be possible for the farmers themselves, under some form of co-operative enterprise, to work favourably situated deposits for. their own benefit. But the transport regulations | would probably have to be varied to enable this to be done. The difficulties even under the present system are not insuperable, as is shown by what has been done further south. Last year Southland and part of South Otago used 300,000 tons. The benefits of liming scarcely need emphasis to-day. They have been proved beyond any doubt. Agricultural land has produced with heavy liming crops of all kinds, infinitely improved in quality and quantity; and stock has benefited because lime has been found to improve the bone and substance of all stock and the conditioa and weight of wool. Increased primary production of all kinds is not only essential to New Zealand’s economy, but also to her contribution to the world’s food shortage; and lime is such an important factor in production that any move to promote its distribution and use should have the sympathetic consideration and assistance of the Government. But the farmers themselves, must create their own opportunities. They can do much to help themselves by their own enterprise, as individuals among them already have done.