FARMERS IN CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 19005, 29 July 1925, Page 6

FARMERS IN CONFERENCE

ADDRESS BY PRIME MINISTER LAND DEVELOPMENT, IMMIGRATION, AGRICULTURAL BANK [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, July 29. Addressing the annual conference of tho Dominion t Farmers’ Union to-day, the Prime Minister alluding to the, development of poorer class land and land development generally, said that this was a matter for steady progress only. He did not think it possible to rush matters. There were parts of New Zealand that could ho developed by irrigation. He alluded to Central Otago and other districts, and mentioned the success attained in certain districts. Although tho work of settlement would be slow, yet in the course of five or six years a different story would be told. As to other land suitable for small settlement, it w r ould be the aim of tho Government to work out a scheme under which success could be made by men who labored for themselves, and an endeavor would bo made to direct capital to carry out the initial stages of development. As to immigration, - since the war New Zealand had been receiving about 10,000 immigrants a year, and speaking generally the new arrivals were fairly satisfactory. New’ Zealand to-day was exporting about 50 per cent, of the cheese used in Great Britain, and about one-fourth of tho butter used there. They had, how’ever, very severe competition from competitors seeking to displace_ them on the British market, tie said unhesitatingly that the operations of the Meat Board had already proved successful, and there was no known reason wdiy the Dairy Board should not. accomplish the same success. Alluding to the question of an agricultural bank, the Prime Minister said that the Government intended to send two men abroad to investigate and report on the matter, and had invited the president of the Farmers’ Union to be one of the delegates. New r Zealand must do her duty in finding room for immigrants from Great Britain, and he appealed to farmers to use the goods and material of British manufacture. It w r as the duty of everyone, individually and collectively, to assist tho Motherland now’ and for years to come.