ANXIOUS TO HELP

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 255, 27 July 1927, Page 3

ANXIOUS TO HELP

e GOVERNMENT AND THE FARMERS e DIFFICULTIES WORLD-WIDE THE PRIME MINISTER’S ASSURANCES That much could be done towards solving the difficulties which at present confront primary producers by Cabinet Ministers conferring with the Farmers’ Union, was a suggestion put forx ward by the Prime Minister (Right Hon. J G. Coates) in opening ; the annual Dominion Conference r of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union yesterday. The Prime Minister declared that in the whole of the British Empire there wae not a Government that had the representation from the farming community that the present Gorernment of New Zealand had. The party of which lie was the head was largely composed of farmers, and men who depended upon the farming community for their livelihood. He himself was a farmer, and thought in the terms of a farmer, and knew the difficulties of the primary producer. No one was more anxious to arrive at a solution of the problems that faced the primary producers at the present time —not only in New Zealand, but all over the world. Difficulties World Wide. By far the greatest portion of New Zealand’s produce, proceeded Mr. Coates, came from the primary producers. "You have recently travelled Mr. President, and no doubt you have seen the difficulties with which the primary producers are contending with in the countries you visited. The primary producers in Great Britain are in much :he same position as those in New Zealand, and the farmers in Canada, the United States, and Denmark are up against most serious problems. There is a world-wide depression. , Cabinet Anxious to Assist; The Prime Minister said he would, like the conference to consider whether it would not help greatly if Ministers of the Crown were to meet them and discuss the various problems which confronted them. The Ministers of Finance, Lands, Agriculture, Education, Labour, and he himself would be pleased to have an opportunity of discussing with the conference the more important remits on the order paper.. , Trade Conditions. Glancing at the work which had been done last year, he had been struck by the number of remits which had been put'into effect. The country had gone through one of the most difficult years in its history from a trade point of view. Primary producers had not only to take lower prices, but there was the problem of continuing costs, which he regarded as . the greatest difficulty at the moment. He was pleased to be able to state that for the five months ending. May 31 of the present year, the Dominion’s exports had amounted, roughly, to twenty-seven millions, while for last year the exports for the same period amounted to twentyfive millions and a half—an increase of £1,488,982. The imports for the five months ending May 31 amounted to £18,562.171, as compared with £20,999,905 for the same period in 1926 —a decrease of £2,437.734. So that, in regard to the trade balance, we were better off by £3,926,716 for the, first five months of this year. This, be claimed, showed the effect of economy, the tightening up of imports, and the increase in production—the latter largely as the result of the primary producer. He agreed with the president that nothing could be accomplished by "crying a poor mouth.” There was, of course, he said, the question of markets to consider, and no doubt the conference would consider the question of tariffs. He questioned, however, whether anybody could follow a policy of free trade and substantiate it, and neither could they follow; a policy of protection and substantiate it. Each item must be considered on its merits. It appeared to him that it must be a scientific tariff which they would have to consider. They could not throw down a policy, and say that was the one they were going to follow because such a course might have an adverse effect on large sections of the community. A Peak Year. The past. year, proceeded the Prime Minister, had been most satisfactory from the point of view of output. In 1924-25 there was what might be described as the -peak year (for the eleven months ended June 30. 1925). when the Dominion exported 69, 861 tons of butter and. 68£09 tons of cheese. For the eleven months ended June 30. 1927, .71.066 tons of butter and 76.113 tons of cheese had been exported. These figurs showed that the farmer, at any rate, had not been idle, and that he was doing his work steadily and without complaining. "The Government’s job,” said the Prime Minister, "is to see how we can improve his capacity to increase production still further.' If the primary producers of this country are able tp make both ends meet reasonably the rest of the community will share in the prosperity.” Position as Regards Wool. In regard-to wool, the figures for tha last two years were-1926-27. ' 1925-26 Actual sales (greasy and scoured) .. 513,461 bales. 491.582 bales Gross value £9,208,118 £8.262.84 Value per bale £l7 18s. 7d. £l6 16s. 2d. Value per lb. 12.48 d. ll.SOd. Total Dominion clip .. 625,766 bales. 585,910 bales. )including 81,200 bales slipe wool, and wool shipped on growers.’ account, but excluding carry-over irom previous season). The wool had been distributed as fok lows: Bales. United Kingdom 271,661 France ; 40,843 Germany and Austria 69,913 U.S.A, and Canada 21.220 Japan, China, India, Africa 7,860 Other countries 18.030 Local 83,934

Bales sold 513,461 There had been a satisfactory increase in tho number of sheep, and tho Dominion was now only about half a million short of the neak year. ’l.hcre had been a record crop of wheat, and the year had been a record one for apples.