AGRICULTURE.

Grey River Argus, 20 July 1922, Page 7

AGRICULTURE.

j CONFERENCE AT WELLINGTON. ■WELLINGTON, July 19. I The annual conference of the New : Zealand Council of Agriculture commenced to-day. There was a large at-I I tendance of delegates from all parts oft Ihe Dominion. j In his review of the past year and statement of the outlook so far as the! I primary producers wore concerned, the] I president, Mr G. L. Marshall, said one i might say with confidence that the ’ proposals now were- considerably bet iter than at 12 months ago, however, (luring the interval many.goods fellows Iliad lost their farms, their homes :u I | their savings and many others were I j wondering whether thev would be able i to round the corner. Local taxation in • the form of country rates and levies! for hospitals had increased enormously • of late years, cud were now heavy burdens on the land. The successful es- j tablishinent of the Royal Show for j New Zealand was the most important • subject before, the conference at Ihe I present time. Export trade in sl ml • stock was reviving and hope was ex- I pressed that the conference would give I a lead to the establishment of a big i central body representative of all land < I users. Addressing the council the Minister of Agriculture, Air Nosworthy, said ; that he thought that he could honestly i state the position from the agricultural and pastoral standpoint had improved i very consider: bly, but we v.a-re not likely to arrive at a period of national prosperity until such time as the cost of production could be brought within reasonable limits, and until taxation couid be adjusted more satisfactorily.' The dairy industry had had a record season, lambing showed a high pcrr.etii tage, the wool clip was good, the wheat crop heavy and the outlook for wool ’ very promising. Alutton maintained sat- ' ■ isfactory values but the beef depression I continued. The health of the? New Zo ‘- j land live stock had been maintainGfcl at the usual high level. Dairy cattlc’liad I increased substantially, but slie<q> show- | ed a big decrease of 1,060,000 in this I year’s interim returns. This was pcri haps the most unsatisfactory feature in ; ■ the agricultural situation and called for] j serious consideration. The freezing and export of lamb had reached a record j level this year, and the Meat Produr- j jers’ Board had al re-J. y accomplished I good work in connection with freight I 1 rates and freezing charges. It was * | sat isfactory to note that the freezing I works and other cool stores will continence the new season with clear doors. I The rabbit nuisance problem was srri- | | ous, and effective oper: tion of the Act i was hampered by the high commercial! I value of skins. A conference of all the ' interests would appear to be the best’ I jireliminary for dealing with the posi- . tion in a practical way. I Air Nosworthy continued that Ihe Go- I vernmont had agreed tn t: ke all first I Mass milling wheat at, a iixed price. ■ I There was more damaged wheat than! ; anticipated, and the Government would . have to consider the best course to take • I with respect to second grade whe: t. IL- ■ ■ thought Armour and Co., would not con ; duct their business on lines sat is fact ory to Dominion farmers. The ambition of ’ the Government was to pull the coun- : try through its present difficulties and put the country on a sound wicket.