GRASSLAND FARMING

Press, Volume C, Issue 29468, 21 March 1961, Page 14

GRASSLAND FARMING

Shortage Of Technicians

fNJS. Press Association) PALM. NORTH, March 20. It would not require a large offer from overseas to “clean us right out” of technicians in grassland fanning. Dr. O. D. Sears, director of the Grasslands Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, told the Palmerston North Rotary Club today. . The number of technicians was low, and few research workers were encouraging their sons to take on the work because of insufficient salaries. There were only about 75 graduate instructors, 10 plant breeders, and three pasture plant breeders in the country, said Dr. Sears. His solution was that a greater interest in fanning must be obtained from townspeople. ■Hie business brains of New Zealand were not getting into farming, and some of the country’s finance was even being invested in Australian secondary industry. Dr. Sears said. To get the finance and the “brains” it was essential that more persons be financially interested in farming, he said. There appeared to be a lack of interest in farming in New Zealand, and only about one-sixth of the population was financially interested in the industry. Probably only about 5 per cent, to 10 per cent of New Zealanders knew anything about growing grass apart from laying bowling greens and lawns, which were more recipe procedure, said Dr. Sears.