NEW ZEALAND'S PRIMARY INDUSTRIES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2955, 15 December 1916, Page 17

NEW ZEALAND'S PRIMARY INDUSTRIES

SOURCES OF OUR NATIONAL WEALTH — : : — \ GROWTH OP PRODUCTION-EFFICIENCY OF PRODUCERS . STRIKING DEVELOPMENT IN ALL DEPARTMENTS ■ HOW THE STATE HELPS

As. a country develops the needs of its increasing population become more extensive and varied, so that its trade and industry become greater and more complex. Anyone who takes but a cur-, sory glance at the commercial and manufacturing growth of New Zealand and views but momentarily the variety of our productivity must realise the complexity of our trading interests naturally consequent upon growing prosperity and population. This Dominion may not in the future be _ more prosperous than it has been during the-past two or three decades, but it will be freely admitted that the limit of its productiveness as' a country has not yet been reached, and it has a capacity to carry population at least ten times greater than it at present bears. It is' the wise man who, while supplying the needs.of. the day, endeavours to make provision for the morrow. So the business man, the banker, the trader or the merchant,' while fulfilling all the requirements of his customers in the present, is lookina forward to the time when business will-have increased tenfold, even a hundredfold; and is even now making provision for it. _ Thus every man in his own lino is doing his part to promote national and Empire efficiency. -- Oil the principle that if every housewife keeps her own doorstop garnished the whole street will be clean, the preceding observation is sound. But does , it go far enough? Combination and organisation are nowadays essential. Individual action certainly makes the start, it is the action" of many individuals in combination that makes for the highest good of all interested. _ This is the foundation principle of national enterprise : this'-is the way towards greaternational ■ prosperity. A LEADING LINE. Take the meat export industry, as an example. At one time we have seen clean, fresh, prime mutton sold at half a crown a side, and thousands of sheep "boiled down" for the fat they produced. But it entered into the mind of the late Mr. Henry Brydone to export sheep carcasses in cool chambers, and, inducing two or three others to join him in the enterprise, founded an industry which onormously increased the value of meat to the producer, and which brings into the Dominion just seven millions sterling a year. There is probably no industry that has displayed such conspicuous growth as meat-freezing for- export, and its profitableness has to some extent been due to organisation—organisation _ in production, organisation in marketing. The'wealth that this industry has produced may be demonstrated , in a simple way. In 1886 when our population was just over half a million, .our export of meat .represented seventeen shillings and sixpence per head of the population, whereas /now it stands at over seven pounds per head._ Much of the'success of this trade is, as has been stated, due to organisation. The meat companies have done their part to their own advantage, and that of the whole country. But the State, that is. the Government of New Zealand, lias Instituted a system of inspection of all carcasses for shipment and by the rejection of any damaged or unfit as raised the standard of quality for export -and ensured to shippers thereby the highest market prices for one of New principal product's. The favoi.ir with which our beef, mutton, and lamb were received in England has become thoroughly established and expressed in an ever-growing trade. We would not burden this review with unnecessary figures, but no words could' more clearly demonstrate the growth and importance of this trade than the figures of the following table of meat exports:— Quantity Value. Year. 'inewt. £ 1886 346,000 427,000 1896 !. 1,103,000 1,252,000 1906 2,026,000 2,877,000 1910 2,654,000 3,851,000 1914 3,230,000 5,863,000 1915 3,591,000 7,794,000 This is a great record. There has been an increase of ten times the export and nearly twenty times the return in money, comparing the result of the years 1886 and 1915. Leaving out the year of war the return for frozen meat has consistently advanced, and that, too, with the larger quantity produced. This demonstrates again the truth of the adage that a good, article creates its own market. Ten years ago it was believed that New 'Zealand's productivity in this business hadi about reached itslimit, because it was imagined that the stock-carrying capacity of the country was then taxed to the utmost The facts swept these fears away. Producers proved their resourcefulness. Under intelligent direction tlio earth yeilded her increase even more abundantly. Our flocks and herds were not depleted as was anticipated by this increasing trade.' With care and prudence in management producers have proved their efficiency; and supported by State supervision in export and marketing the fruits of their labours have been abundantly rewarded. Ana

their prosperity~fias"in .turn'- stimulate 'ed and strengthened in some measure every trading concern in the Dominion; It is difficult to seo how-. greater prosperity could, bo brought to the meat industry, but not a, few. producers are of opinion .that a higher stats' of efficiency could cone through unification of meat export companies'. policy and control; also through shipping facilities and better distribution in England.; These are; matters that Chambers of Commerce and other organisations have brought under the notice of the Government, and we may ere long evolve some method whereby even a higher state of national efficiency. measured by.the output may be yet reached. SAVINCS AND SIDELINES. Hie companies that control the meat industry have extensive works at all centres, and some are established at places considerable distances from a seaport. TJhese works are -following the methods of American meat-packers, and very little,:if anything, of -the sheep is now wasted. Wool'and' hair are stripped from pelts' and hides.; horns and hoofs are saved 'and'exported for various purposes; manures aremade from blood and. offal; fiddle strings and sausage'casings are manufactured. ' These ' savings and ■ sidelines, which include tall6w, go to increase farmers'' wealth"-and labourers' work and wages. The revenue from" these by-products have increased' by fifteen' hundred per cent, since ' the earlier years of the industry. There is probably no industry'on. a more satisfactory and profitable basis'; "but even It is not incapable." of greater efficiency from' a national .pointif-vi^w.' : WOOL PRODUCTION. 'About the time the freezing of meat and mutton for export became established, wool was regardted 'as-'the'pro'-duct of this country. •• Indeed, it.repre- . sented nearly one-half of the total value of our exports when the meat industry began.-'The export of -wool grew from three millions sterling in 1886 to over ten millions in-1915., In. this connection the following 'figures are worthy of being set out• , Quantity Value I exported of export.' Year. -- in lbs. - . 1886 90,900,000 3,073,000 1896 ......... 129,200,000 ' 4,392,000 1906 ......... 154,400,000 6.766,000 191 ....." I 186,500,000 '^OoS.OOO 1914 J 220,500,000 9,318,000 1915 ......... 196,570,000 10,3?7}87q Thus it . appears that the wool production. of the Dominion has increased by over one hundred million pounds weight during the past three decades; and that although the quantity for export has doubled; the money received has more than trebled in the same iod. "What the future may produce no one can 'tell. The outstanding feature is that "our .wool, growers ' have. responded- to the call.of the markets, or the world, aiid). while; Benefiting- '.themselves they have:; demonstrated'-' the suitability of this country for their particular industry. Their efficiency in: this respect lias to th§ general stability arid->£stirig -prosperity of the Dominion. .E6r""'years~ ths flocks' of. Europe have been gradually reduced, and as the standard of living all over the' civilised."worldwas gradually rising, people preferring woollen garments, the price of wool has beengradually advancing. As the war in Europe has further depleted the flocks it is not likely that wool will recede much in valuo for some years to come. It is possible, however, that the nations of Europe may become so impoverished by war as to 1)6 unable to purchase all-woollen goods as formerly, and'with, a falling' demand for our staple product there would naturally be a. fall in value. Now and for soma time after the war in order to replenish stocks wasted-and worn in the conflict, the demand must oontinue, .and prices -will probably be maintained at a. high level. So far the wool grower has been unassisted! by the State,_and his enterprise has proved the efficiency of his class, and the wealth brought to New Zealand by his industry percolates through every avenue of trade and commerce. SHEEP BREEDING. Neither of the' aforementioned industries could have attained such expansion had it not been for the assistance given by the State to'.the settlement of the land. Not to go farther baok than 1898, it is worth noting that in that year there were some 9,860,000 acres of grass-sown lands in New' Zealand; and according to the census of 1911 there wore then no fewer than fourteen and a quarter million acres; and in the same period, notwithstanding the development of the dairying industry, to which reference is_ made in another portion of, this review, tha number of sheep had'increased by no fewer than five million'head. In recent years the subjugation of forest lands in the North Island has given aii 'extraordinary impetus to sheepbreeding in this part of the Dominion. As recently iis' 1906 tlierfe were niore sheep in the South Island than in tlss North. To-day, however, there are over two million head more is. the

Korth Island than in' the South. Among, the provincial.districts. Wellington takes the lead, and grazes ovor one-fifth of the entire flocks of tup Dominion, which totals, as we liavo f c ® n > nearly twenty-five millions. Apart irom what is required for home consumption, tho export of mutton and iamb in. 1914 exceeded 6,180,000 carcases, or nearly twenty-five per cent. i,. i ° en^re flocks of the .country, whioh are not .only- being maintained numerical strength, but! are actually increasing. ' Comparing the breeding.of sheep lor, the carcass for the export trade, a comparison between New Zealand, Australia, and the Argentine is .worth setting out to show how favourably situated our breeders are in finding a splendid habitat for their flocks:—

■N.Z. • Aust. S.America Year, carcasses, carcasses, carcasses. 1905 ... '3/707,773:' 1,308,472 3,201,486 1910 5,407,470 4,219,012 3,353,726 1914 ... 6,180,924 1 3,721,099 . 2,884,832 The year 1914 provides the latest returns from South America (Argentine) by which this comparison is made. Now Zealand's sheep-breeders are to bo congratulated upon the steady in-, crease of-their business; and here, too, it is questionable, if better, results would have been accomplished by any other methods .than those in vogue. Sheep-breeding lias ceased to need any encouragement; ...but it is essential that flockp' should be kept clean and free from. bad. Strains,, and our- sheep— masters hare recognised that in'their own interests as well as the country's it., is best for all that' obligations in these respects should bo imposed upon them by the' State. The comparison made shows how high is the standard cf efficiency in' Now Zealand in this industry. That twonty-fivo million sheep can he fed upon fourteen million acres of ; grassed lands and yield a surplusage for export of over six million carcasses proves the fertility of this oountry and i this stability of " this industry. It is true that there are sevoral millions of unimproved lands, including that in tussock, but then there are nearly half a million horses and over two millions of cattle share the first provision of the soil with our great flocks of sheep. problems:the aftermath of war presents it is safe tq predict that little improvement is likely to be 'effected in the methods of our sheepmisters. The. prosperity of. the in-: dustry i$ the best" proof that these methods are the result of long years' of experience, and best calculated to maintain New Zealand's mutton prestige in tho markets of the world. , CATTLE AND DAIRYING.

" : In this department of production it is worth of noto that the State, has uttemfcped to foster cattle-r&isiiig. and dairying. High-priced stock have been imported into the Dominion in order that the_ foundation-herds at State farms might be of the best quality. The best strains of the chief breeds of British cattle have been brought to the Dominion by the State, but private enterprise has been mainly responsible. Shorthorn,, Polled. Angus, Aberdeen, and Hereford are the principal beefproducing typos, and herd books of theso breeds are kept, recognised,, and valued, f The breeding of cattle for -dairying purposes, however, has taken precedence. Jersey, Holstein, and Ayrshire Societies hnve their herd books, and registers are being kept of the meritorious qualities of certain strains of purebred • dairying- cattle. The maxim of the dairy man —It tikes as much to feed a bad cow as it does to keep a, good found adequate practical expression in the high standard of our herds generally. Poor strains have been eliminated, and provision is. being njade for ; the .perpetuation of the good qualities of .the really high-class and.'.nqost profitable cows. ■ /.The advent;"of. .the .; milking-machine gave a fillip : to Ythe industry . at the time_ when■•■hired." labour .was difficult to obtain, and" when found. . -Although; dairying- land is much idwrerj the highv'prjce of. such land is for; the time being - counterbalanced. by imprbved'prices" for the manufactured, product, smaller farms,and & bettei'vclass of milker. .-The industry is-beiflgfconducted- on a profitable basis; jii&-although the outlook is encouraging/ 9js„ttjn§. goes on it will be found moie; andftmore necessary to enter systematically;; upon fodder production,-. so''as>to"- - maintain. a generous supply of milk-in'all .seasons of the jear, and also'to extend the installation of labour-saving appliances. Cooperation has proved of tremendous value in the waj: of establishing dairy factories and creameries. The dairying industry owes- much to efforts in this direction;- -

,It is not within the scope of this review to touch upon the question of milk distribution and tho cleanliness of dairies, but . these matters are provided for under the provisions of the Dairy Industry Act of. 1908. The sale of unwholesome milk is prohibited. Uncleanly kept dairies or factories may be condemned and diseased cattle destroyed. Tho inspection, grading, and'shipping of dairying products are carefully carried out. Under this Act, too, the Government may foster the establishment of dairy' companies-by- acquiringland, erecting buildings and machinery for carrying on'the manufacture of dairy produce, and these loans, bearing five per cent. interest, are repayable in half-yearly; .instalments : within fifteen years. ; All this has made for efficiency, and brought the dairying industry into a high. : state ; of profitable-, ness to those engaged-in it.- It is recognised that much more may be accomplished, although it is generally adr mitted that New Zealand is working along such lines as are justified by experience.

A MARVELLOUS DEVELOPMENT. ' Tho attention of farmers was turned to dairying andthe production of butter and cheese about- 1885, when wool lyas.cheap, or low 'in price, grain was u.nptojitableraiid stockr-cattle and sheep^had; : .to'-bo l disposed of .'through "boiling;' down" establishments. The farmers had-to do something to relievo tho situation. ' Cows ceased to be regarded as only necessary to supply the homestead requirements in the way of milk and butter. Although the farmer turned his attention to dairying as early as 1885, it was not until many years afterwards that the industry assumed extensive proportions and became as one of the surest sources of income to the producer. In the year mentioned (1885) 1250 tons of butter, valued at £102,387, was our tqtal export. Of cheese, we exported 750 tons, valued at £35,742. Even ten years later (1895) the 1 total vnluo of our dairy produce was under half a million sterling in. value. Last year the export of butter was 21,000 tons, and tho value was £2,700,625; while the quantity of cheese exported ran to 40,800 tons, valued at £2,730,211. To. this must be ndded the local consumption of butter and cheese; which are estimated at 201b. per.head por annum' of butter, and 31b. of cheese. Thus the total valuo of the dairy industry's product cannot be less than seven millions sterling. -Probably no industry in tho country has secured so mucii State attention as dairying, and no industry has. responded more liberally to the liberal treatment it has received. Gre,-it Britain has been our best market, although' small shipments havo been mado to Canada and tho United States, to South Africa, and the Society Islands. It is only during the past nine years that tho cheese-making side of this industry has outpaced tho production of butter. . | SECRET OF SUCCESS. 1 -The secret of the success of tho dairying industry has been primarily tiis suitability of tho country and climate, the assistance rendered by Government experts and money, the in-

dividual efforts of the. farmers themselves, and tho organisation' both from a State standpoint and in the dairymen's interest that has arisen to procure the best results on tho London market. And if any primary industry milst be aided or encouraged by the State, such help must come from the business man or the expert. The legislator is not necessarily a business man. He is first and foremost a, politician, and the control of complex buuiess conditions cannot bo left to the politician who may have no direct knowlcdgo of tho business concerning which he is required to make laws. These laws are invariably mado at the. request'of thoso who have direct knowledge, but if they were advising, legislators to make laws to encourage an industry in which they had direct interest-as well as knowledge, tho chances are that such advisers' interests, would not uufrequontljj be opposed to tho larger interests of the community which it is the legislator's duty to protect. The State's connection -with the dairying industry is free from such embarrassment. The expert was imported to advise the farmer, advise tho Government, and protect the public interest; and the dairyman, having been advised, and helped upon lines quite safe for the State, was left to work out his own destiny. His work was tested by a specific standard. If it was a firstclass ,production it jras.'-so graded; if an indifferent production, it was .'classed accordingly; and if it was not good enough to do credit to the country .it was not fit for export.] Applying this principle not only to dairy produce, but to frozen meat and other primary industries of this Dominion, the State has helped the producer to help himself/ and by a system of standardisation, called grading, it has practically compelled a production of high-class uniformity, so that now the consumer buying New Zealand butter or frozen meat or anything else knows that he can rely upon getting a first-class article. Thus it is that these commodities, the'outcome of our primary industries, have taken so high a place in the World's markets. That there is more to be done goes without saying, and continuous watchfulness is necessary to maintain the placc our products have attained. When, however, it is remembered that the best commands, the highest price, enlightened self-interest, even if the country's credit was not considered, will inspire our producers to reach a higher place; and to do this the State will doubtless honestly and judiciously assist through its experts and business agents both in this Dominion, and wherever the best returns may !>o obtainable. SOME SIDE LINES.

There are other industries, like poultry, sheep-farming, and orchard-keep-ing, which require specialisation on the part' of individuals, and the Stato is promoting their interests on similar lines to those employed in the dairying industry. Pig-breeding and pork production is a. more independent, industry, and although the weight of pork, bacon, and hams produced in New Zealand now exceeds 12,000 tons per annum, very little leaves the Dominion. Many farmers engaged in mixed farming are, howovcr, realising that these industries may become valuable side-lines to the mam features of his estate. POULTRY RAISING.

Here,we find an industry not perhaps involving large capital, but far more extensivo than is generally realised. There are some four million head of poultry in New Zealand at- present, of which fully three and a half millions are fowls, the remainder made up of ducks, turkeys, .and geese. Considerably more than half of the poultry is in the North Island. For some years the Government has employed a Poultry Instructor, who, under, the aegis of the Department of Industries," is introducing the most up-to-date methods of poultry-keeping throughout the Dominion. This instructor is conscientiously moving about giving instruction to farmers individually on their farms and with their plant, but also lectures to meetings of poultry-raisers. The Department has also two up-to-date breeding stations, whore herds are bred according to egg-producing capabilities. These are sold to farmers, and raisers at a moderate cost. Egg-producing competitions are proceeded with every year, and some wonderful results are obtained. In one competition a winning pen, six White Leghorns, laid 1632 eggs in 61 weeks—an average of 272 eggs each. Again, of 360 fowls taking part in an egg-laying competition, each averaged 200.8 eggs for the same-period, and; the .estimated profit per bird over cost of feeding was 12s. BJd., so that a poultry-keeper with 360 such fowls could clear nearly £230 in twelve months! There are possibilities in this industry. The object of the Poultry Instructor is to raise the standard, of the fowls kept. Good layers are as cheap to feed almost as indifferent or bad. To produce good layers and provide a bird suitable for the table as well is the ideal, and it is gratifying to know that birds of- almost equal quality are spread fairly evenly throughout the, Dominion. It has also been demonstrated that eggs "can he satisfactorily exported in cool chambers to British and American markets. Indeed, a trial shipment made in -cool temperatures to London recently was declared by the authorities to be equal to anything reaching that market from abroad, and the eggs .were classed as "new laid," That 'in this country we find "foreign eggs" similarly sold by grocers shows that poultry-raising and egg-producing is not adequate to the Dominion's needs, and how best to stimulate production demands attention. So far, at least for several years back, there has been no glut of eggs upon the market; and the fact that for some years past eggs have not been often or long below one shilling per dozen ought to prove one of the best stimulants to the industry. Even in small things the farmer and the producer cannot afford to be neglectful.

BEE-FARMING. Tho story of bee-keeping in New Zealand reads like a romance. A Miss Burnley introduced the black bee into New Zealand in 1839, landing them near Hokianga in straw sleeps. They camo with the missionaries. In tho following year Lady Hobson, the first Governor's wife, also brought bees from New South Wales, but it was not till 1880 that the Ligurian bee was introduced. Then foul brood spread throughout all the apiaries in tho country, and by 1900 no district was free from tho disease. From that timo commercial beekeeping was doomed a failure. Still as there are few countries better conditioned than New Zealand for the production of honey, tho Government decided to encourage tho industry. By Act of Parliament in 1907 tho box-hive was abolished, and' owners were made responsible for diseases, Four inspectors or - instructors were appointed under the Act. They now instruct the bee farmer in tho best methods of management, honey producing, and marketing. What is the result? There are today some 12,00J beekeepers in New Zealand with 80,000 clean colonies of bees, producing honey which commands the highest price , in, tho world's market—namely, 60s', per owt., the average being 455. per cwt. New Zealand honey is classed as the finest tho world produces, and compares more than favourably with tnc finest French and Italian brands. A considerable export trade is developing, and as with other industries, the State is assisting by grading the produce before export. . At tho Government farm, Ruakura, a model apiary is established, and many interested and intending to take up bcekeoping as an occupation are there instructed. As bad seasons

for beekeeping are exceptional in New Zealand, this country' offers splendid opportunities for this industry. THE FRUIT INDUSTRY. The fruit industry is growing rapidly. Remarkable progress has been mado in Nelson, Otago, Hawke's Bay, and Auckland during recent years.. It has been discovered that land apparently unsuitcd for cultivation aud crops will grow tho best of apples and that abundantly There are now nearly 60,000 acres of commercial orchards, and while the local market is being amply supplied, an export trade is being developed, chiefly to South America and London, which is certain to grow to considerable proportions as the young and recently established! orchards come into full hearing. Limited cool storage for fruit is supplied free by the Agriculture Department. The planting of vineyards, grape growing, and wine making are yet in their infancy. Still 800 acres or more, chiefly in Hawke's Bay, are covered with vines, and there are nearly one thousand houses where grapes are grown under glass. The wine production reaches something over one hundred thousand gallons per annum, having a value of £12,500; while the return from grape growing is just double that annually. ' New Zealand! is but a young country. Its development proceeded slowly tor many years. The productions primary and natural to the country, however, have grown enormously, and production has been encouraged and stimulated by improving markets, rendering tho returns more profitable to the producer. By exercising a measure of control, and by giving instruction along approved lines, the Stato has in some instances greatly assisted tho producer, and has raised the standard of quality by supervising the export. In this way there has been cooperation between State and producer, which has contributed to the success of our export trade and towards raising the efficiency of the producers themselves. The system has proved adaptable, so that whatever changes may bo required to meet the exigencies of now circumstances now. and in the aftermath of war should not he difficult to mact.