The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1927. MR. JESSEP’S LATEST CAMPAIGN.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10303, 14 June 1927, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 1927. MR. JESSEP’S LATEST CAMPAIGN.

Tt is'questionable whether Mr Jesscj>, vice-chairman of the Moot Expert Board, was satisfied with the reception given, at the City Hall meeting, to" his proposal that the heel' industry should he subsidised by the State. As this is one of the most important beef growing areas in the Dominion, it was only right that Mr Jossep should have commenced his protection campaign hero. Flo certainly had no trouble in showing that beof-raisijg has become a. languishing industry in this country. What is * •* • »* ’ , . more, it was just as easy lor him to state, for a fact, that cattle-raising is essential in the case of lands which have begun to deteriorate or which are liable to go back. Subsequently, however, Air Jessop was confronted by a much more difficult task. Flo reckoned, firstly, that more heel should be produced, and, secondly, that, as an encouragement to growers a bonus of one half-penny per lb should be paid by the State <m all exported beef. It so happened that jiis hearers ware, generally, sympathetic with the idea that bcof-rasiing should be encouraged. But the more thoughtful at once realised that such a- small bonus would he useless, as the amount which the small i'enfraiser would receive in that way would lie a more bagatelle. It was also pointed out to Mr Jossep that if the production of beef wore doubled, to-day’s poor price might easily become less encouraging. And Mr Jossep’s reply was by no means convincing. He suggested that Now Zealand might have got a recent Army contract if more beef had been available at the time. But could such a contract have hern secured on a profitable basis, if nr. all? Everybody must, of course, agree with the contention that many properties would have deteriorated even more than they have done if cattle had not been freely used to assist in the maintenance of the pastures. It is also a- fact that lack of eattlo has been responsible, for much of the deteriorated land problem in this Dominion. But Mr Jessup sires up the position wrongly; ho should get to the very root of the trouble. If cattle-] aisimr is essential in respect of certain classes of laud—as it is—and beef-growing is not, to-day, a profitable industry—and that is not seriously disputed—these conditions should i-c taken into consideration in connection with the valuations and rentals. Mr Jesse;) may, of course, reply that every beef raiser should he granted a subsidy whether his land is or is not liable to serious deterioration. Despite anything 'to the contrary, however.

protection is a step which must not lightly ho entered upon. The Meat Board would do belter if ic allowed matters as to the worth of lands liable to deterioration to right themselves and employed its time in educating rattle-raisers to meet the changed .need of the British market, which is, clearly, in the direction ol younger hoof.