MAN ON LAND

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 140, 15 June 1928, Page 10

MAN ON LAND

HELP FROM STATE FOSTERING INDUSTRIES PRIME MINISTER'S REVIEW The manner in which the Government had assisted the primary producers of the Dominion was the subject of reference by the "Prime Minister (the Bight lion. J. G. Coates) in his speech at the lieform rally in the Town Hall last evening. Outlining what had been done through the State Advances Department, Mr. Coates said that for the period of four years ended 31st March, 1925, and including April of this year, loans authorised by the State Advances Department totalled 29,C65, amounting to £29,061,581, and for the same period the loans actually paid over totalled 20,441, amounting to £26,842,554, of which £13,000,000 were on account of settlers in country districts. In respect to rural advances during the same period 357 loans were paid over, totalling £793,220. Mr. Coates referred to ami explained the long-term and intermediate credit schemes which had been brought into operation by the present Government. Mr. Coates said that it was interesting to record that the expenditure to date in main highways amounted to £3,220,000 and by local bodies to £1,----595,000, giving a gross total in four years of £4,500,000. Over 9000 miles of road had been declared, with an additional 700 miles ready to follow. The carriage of fertilisers upon railways at reduced freights, the provision of phosphates iv bulk, aud the wheat duties all indicated the thought, care, and practical endeavour of the Government to assist industry in its hour of need. EBMAEKABLB GEOWTH. Referring in particular to the fruit industry, the Prime Minister said that, though Government finance had been particularly difficult, assistance had been rendered by maintaining the Government subsidy, and it was pleasing, yet remarkable, that New Zealand the other day in respect of cases of apples topped the million mark of export. The growth of the' apple industry was truly remarkable. In 1912 the export wasoniy 15,000 cases, and during the war period practically none was exported. In 1923 the number of cases exported was 147,970, and thig season to dato the number has reached 1,018,000 cases. The industry should soon stand upon its own, said Mr. Coates, but its progress had been most striking, and the Government was entitled to some of the credit in fostering it. PORK EXPORT. MV. Coates said that the pig industry had also been helped. The assistance afforded had led to a phenomenal increase in export, and it was pleasing to know that the product was to-day the- finest of its kind reaching the British market. By the Government giving timely assistance, an industry had been saved, and if watched and taken care of, who knew but that in the course of a few years the value of the product would not reach the important value of £3,000,000 per annum? Today it was worth over £200,000. It might bo said that the subsidy was wrong in principle and that the theory was bad, but was it not worth while giving assistance when'it was needed if they could save an industry which would afterwards become so valuable? They had the result already in the reputation our pork had won on the Home market. Colonel Young, the Smithlield Market inspecting officer, had said that the New Zealand pork was the bust on the market, and that it was held in the highest repute.