SALVAGE OF FLOODED CROPS AND FARMERS SUBSISTENCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22656, 5 June 1948, Page 6

SALVAGE OF FLOODED CROPS AND FARMERS SUBSISTENCE

LANDS OUT OF PRODUCTION

J7ROM discussions which took place at roadside meetings yesterday between the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. E. L. Cullen, and settlers in the flood area there emerged two maj o r eonsid era lions.

How much of the damaged crops of maize in the district can be salvaged in sufficiently good condition for use, even for such purposes as fowl-mash?

How are the settlers on heavily-silted properties to subsist during the period when their lands are completely, or almost completely, out of production?

In all his talks with the settlers Mr. Cullen emphasised the exploratory character of his mission, stating that he had been asked by the Prime Minister to report on the situation with any recommendations as to how the Government could assist sufferers from the flood disasterHe was unable to make any statements as to what the Government might be able to do, by way of relief, but the information lie was gathering and the recommendations of the farmers’ organisations would be considered in the most sympathetic light by the Cabinet as a whole. Crop salvage was obviously of considerable interest to Mr Culler., who at various points cast a speculative eye over larue areas of maize standing in either silt and water, or in silt alone, and at present, inaccessible to machinery or to hand-pickers. Subsidy to Cover Picking Costs He was equally concerned with the obviously heavy losses of other crops and with the reports of stock damage: but it was evident that the saving of ( what was not completely written off ( was of paramount, interest on this side of the investigation. Before going into the flood area the , Minister had received a deputation j from the maize-growers’ organisation . which had emphasised the problems o f harvesting crops under silted' conditions. : He had been informed that mechan- • iral pickets could not operate where ! silt was still lying wet. and that in large areas even hand-pickers could only move slowly if they could move , at all. These factors would add tremendously to the cost of harvesting, and the deputation asked the Minister to consider subsidising the cost over and above the normal average for the district Shortage of labour for hand-nicking was also referred to Mr. Cullen for '■ consideration, and the suggestion was < made that the Government agencies : should be brought into the picture with : a view to sending in labour from contiguous districts Every Cob Will be Needed The economic imnortance of the Gisborne maize cron, both from the point of view of the district and that of the Dominion, was recognised by Mr Cullen, who stated that every cob that could be nicked in reasonab’e condition would be required in the coming months In the course of his short tour through the flooded area the Minister saw maize in all degrees of survival. Some was standing erect on ground from which the water had drained off quickly, with little deposition of silt and nractically no harm to the crop itself Some was standing in shallow or deep silt, in many cases with inches of water still overlying the surface of the ground and with no outlets through drains Other crops were down on the ground and partially covered with silt At many points Mr. Cullen was shown maize which had been picked and bagged, and then caught by the flood. Where it had been possible to rescue this maize after a short immersion there was an evident recoverable value: but a lot of it had shot in the bags, and was quite obviously useless. Slight Damage Not Entire Loss The silting of cobs was not regarded by Mr. Cullen as seriously damaging, and even where light shoots had begun to emerge from the wet cobs he considered that drying and sorting should give sopne return to the grower. Requirements for poultry-mash purposes could, he thought, 'be partly met by the use of slightly-damaged maize from the flood area. The worst aspect of the damage to crops seen during the day was exemplified by fields at Waipaoa, where maize was standing in silt two to three feet deep, on which it probablv will be impossible to work for months- With good weather some of this maize might survive until October, when it should he possible to get on to the silt; but the chances were regarded . - slim. In conservation with several growers the Minister raised the question of the availability of flooded land for future maize-growing. He was informed by the growers that future operations would depend to a great extent upon their recoveries from the present crops, and upon the characted of the silt deposited by the recent flood. Silt Fertility Content Varies On some types of silt the fertility is reasonably high, and re-planting with maize might prove satisfactory; but where papa sand is present in the overlay the land would have to be sown in pasture and worked with stock for a few years. Whereas one or two croppers declared their intention to go right out of maize, because of the total degree of loss which flood damage was likely to cause others appeared to feel that this ccreai would continue to be one of the staple Gisborne lines. The fact that a farmer lias to commit himself for the whole year to raise a crop of maize, whereas other crops can be grown profitcbly on a short-term basis, is, how-

over, likely to weigh heavily with the men bn small areas. One settler at Waipaoa, for instance, was found with a crop of 45 acres which represented the greater part of his holding, and which seemed unlikely to yield much of a return. In another instance one of the largest single maize areas in the Bay was found standing in water, with only the fringes accessible to hand-pickers. Heavy Silting of Grazing Land The salvaging of the maize crop was but one aspect of the flood aftermath. In scores of holdings where the occupier depends upon cultivation or grazing, silt overlay has put the farm out of business for this season and possibly for the greater part of next year. The Minister was informed that resowing of grass was being undertaken on a large scale, and that promising results are already observable. There aie many areas, however, where re-grass-ing is not possible at present, and it probably will not be possible until next autumn. Mr. Cullen saw at Puha stretches of silted lands covering in the aggregate something like 200 acres, on which fences had been wiped out or buried and small-holdings had been almost completely ruined for the time being. One settlers, a Kiwi, had 45 acres in his dairy farm, and after the flood had o rilv half an acre free of heavy silt deposits. Others in the neighbourhood were little better off. _ Puha was only one of several areas in which similar conditions prevailed. In his discussions with the flood sufferers Mr. Cullen agreed that subsistence for the settlers and their families was the first consideration, and he pointed out that social security .benefits .were now available for those who had no immediate sources of income. Liberal Terms For State Aid. Restitution of production on their farms would be financied by Government loans where required, with grants-in-aid in special cases; and lie gave an undertaking to use his best endeavours to see that the terms of such assistance were made as liberal as possible. He gave a similar undertaking to a deputation from the P.B. Provincial council of Federated Farmers, which met him last evening. The deputation, led by Mr. C. H. Williams, emphasised the appreciation felt, concerning the prompt assistance which the Government had alreay provided, and asked that where loans were made to settlers for flood restoration they should be free of interest for two years at least —the present maximum term being 18 months. Hardship Factor Emphasised Mr. Williams also asked that the hardship factor in respect of such Mans be interpreted as liberally as possible. The Minister assured the deputation that he would recommend the extension of the interest-free period on loans to two years, and also would endeavour to see that the general terms of Government assistance were made as liberal as possible. On other matters raised by the deputation Mr. Cullen stated that Government departments were already busy with arrangements to secure all available supplies of posts, staples and wire tor reconstruction of fencing, and he mentioned that a shipment of 8000 posts now en route from the West Coast of the South Island, and consigned to Napier, was to be diverted to Gisborne. Goodwill of H.B. Consignees This had been made possible by the reasonable response of consignees in Hawke’s Bay to the Government's approaches through the Merchants’ Federation. The consignees had recognised the urgent needs of this district. In regard to the salvaging of crops, Mr. Cullen stated that the Government would consider what relief could be given to meet the added costs of harvesting under present conditions, and would take up immediately the auestion of an urgent appeal to the Maori people to assist in the saving of what coifld be salvaged from flooded crops. The Minister will return to Wellington on Tuesday, and will make an immediate report to the Cabinet on the physical conditions he had found in the flood area, together with his recommendations for meeting the financial difficulties faced by the farmers in the affected district. PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT The Prime Minister and Minister for Maori Affairs, Mr. P Fraser, will visit Gisborne on June 16 and 17 in connection with flood matters, according to advice received yesterday by the Mayor Mr. N. 11. Bull.