SHEEP-FARMING

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 92, 12 January 1939, Page 11

SHEEP-FARMING

Economic Conditions Of Industry

WAJRA R A PA FIG UR E S "Mr. Cook is evidently completely out. of touch with: the economic conditions of (he sheep-farming industry." says the New Zealand Farmers’ Ln ion in a stiitejnent issued in reply to the assertions made by Mr. A. Cook, secretarj of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, in yesterday’s issue of "’lhe Dominion." "The best reply which can be made to him is contained in the following figures which apply to a well-run place in (lie Wairarnpa. It: will lie seen that for last season the net return before the deduction of interest is just, about tire same as for 1932-33, which was one of the worst years of the depression.

"The return per sheep on the above place before the deduction of interest is as follows: — 1031-32 5 .? 1932- ' 5 ’’ 1933- ’•> 9 1935-30 9 . 1930-37 13 ’! 11)37-35 0 -

Position Worse This Year. "The disastrous fall in the price of fat ewes and the fall in the price of wool will make the position worse for this year. "So far as reading is concerned it should be repeated that if the present policies are allowed to continue it will not bo long before New Zealand lias the best roads in tile world, and nothing to eart over them. So far as our second and third-class country is concerned 1 , this aspect is much more serious than is realized. The figures of land under occupation will demonstrate this, for, according to Die 1938 Year Book, nearly .100,000 acres of land have gone out of production. "New Zealand is something like a man who has placed a fifteen-roomed house on a fifty-acre farm and then asked the farm to pay for it. So far as housing for farm workers and their families is concerned, the Farmers’ Union has been endeavouring for some, months to place concrete and practical suggestions before the Government.

‘‘lt should be reiterated, however, that it is hopeless to talk of land settlement or increased production till the economic position of the industry has been put right. The figures quoted above should prove that;"

Income per sheep. s. <1. Wages and running Rates, taxes and insurance. 19.30-31 ... 10 io 4 8 Not given 1931-32 10 10 * 19.32 -33 ... 10 4 •- o 1933-31 ... .18 4 19.34-35 ... IS 7 4 10 1. 4 1935-36 ... 20 o 11 0 1 0 1936-37 25 0 4 10 7 9 1937-38 ... 23 5 0