DOMINION LAG

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22242, 30 January 1947, Page 4

DOMINION LAG

OUTPUT OF FOOD AID TOJJRITAIN WORK BY ALL NEEDED FARMERS' WARNING NOTE (E.A.) WE LLI NT. TON, Ja n. 30. For some considerable time, the federated farmers have *i‘iven consideration to the situation in regard to food production in New Zealand, said Mr. W. N. Perry, Dominion vicepresident of the federation yesterday and it was obvious from resolutions emanating from all parts of the Dominion that farmers as a whole were dissatisfied with the efforts New Zealand was making.

"There is a very strong feeling that we are not doing what we could in the Dominion.” said Mr. Perry. "There is a general slackness of effort at a time when we should be striving with every possible means in our power to alleviate the distress and suffering caused by shortages of food overseas.” Supplies of Fertiliser

Mr. Perry added that the first requirement for greater production was increased supplies of fertiliser and lime. Unfortunately industrial troubles were restricting efforts which should be made to increase production and distribution of both.

With greater supplies of fertiliser in particular, production could be very materially increased, but at the same time there was no Saturday work in fertiliser works, which not’ only decreased the production of fertiliser, but also increased the difficulties of transport, since Saturday and Sunday were the two best days for the railways to handle fertiliser haulage. More fertiliser and lime would help with meat and dairy production. Grain Main Need The main need of New Zealand and the world, however, was for wheat, which in actual quantity -of food could produce very considerably more per acre than any other product which could be raised in New Zealand. On good land which would fatten four lambs to the acre a yield of 1601 b of meat could be gained from this use of the land. On the other hand, with a good crop on the same land, an acre would produce 50001 bof grain. On average land which would fatten li lambs to the acre 601 b of meat could be produced as against 20001 b of grain. This meant that 20 acres of wheat could produce a greater quantity of foodstuffs than a farm carrying 1000 breeding ewes. "No crop has received less encouragement in the Dominion than wheat,” continued Mr. Perry. “The reason is that the wheat price has been fixed at a relatively low figure and, moreover, it has been fixed with an eye on good, normal, wheat-growing land. Higher Price for Wheat

"It has not been appreciated by those in authority that, to increase the crop of wheat considerably, it must be grown on areas outside the normal wheat-growing ones and in districts where the yield is smaller and the risk of crop failure is greater. It is obvious that to get more wheat, a greater price will have to be paid.”

Mr. Perry said New Zealand had been paying her farmers 7s Id per bushel, but had been importing wheat at a price 50 per cent, higher. It should be remembered too. that from the price of 7s Id transport charges to the nearest port must be deducted. Lack of wheat meant that the poultry position was desperate. A similar effect had occurred because of the shortage of grain so far as pig production was concerned, where pigs decreased from 762,000 in January 1941, to 549,000 in 1946 and yet pig production offered the greatest potential of all meat production. The pig produced more rapidly than any other domestic meat-producing animal, and its progeny made weight more quickly. It should be obvious that there was need for grain of all kinds and its production should be encouraged.

Fats Being Wasted

"Then there is the question of waste," said Mr. Perry. "Fat is being wasted on farms because the cost of cartage to the centres and the cost of containers in which to put it is considerably more than the return which can be gained for it. “At* the same time, only a fraction of what is received from overseas for fa.t is being paid out. If the price were raised only a little and if a cheap container could be designed and produced a very great amount of food which is now being wasted could be saved. Surelv this is not beyond the capacity of New Zealand to evolve.” Continuing, Mr.. Parry said: “The federated farmers feel strongly that the Dominion is not playing its part in the present world food crisis. This is not the time for the Dominion to rest on its oars. We should be working, and this means not only the farmer, but the whole of the community.

‘What appears to be forgotten is that the. people of Britain slaved when we were in danger in order to provide munitions and supplies with which to defend the Empire and the world against aggression. Surely we should be putting forward the greatest effort we can to repay these people who worked so hard to save us. "There is no need for New- Zealand to slave —only the need is for us really to work. If we do this, we can repay, in some measure, the people of Britain, who did so much for us in times o£ danger and we can preserve our selfrespect. The federated farmers make a public appeal for a realistic approach to the whole problem of food production."