The Hastings Standard Published Daily. THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1896. ENCOURAGING PRODUCERS.

Hastings Standard, Issue 22, 21 May 1896, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily.

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1896. ENCOURAGING PRODUCERS.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

It is to be regretted that more time is not given by our politicians to the actual requirements of tlie country. What we require is less talk and more help for the producers. This country maintains its solvency by the volume of its export produce trade, and everything and anything that will conduce to the benefit of that trade should be done. Recently the cables have made us acquainted with the activity of the Ministers of Agriculture in the Australian Colonies, all tending in the direction of helping the producers. The latest news from "across the water" is to the effect that the Minister of Agriculture in South Australia has signed contracts with the P. and 0. and direct companies, under which they have agreed to reduce the butter freights from |d to fd per pound.

ducers secure an advantage over other competitors, and are able to accept less for their butter and still leave themselves with a margin of profit. We are afraid too little attention is given to the subject in New Zealand, although it must be said to the credit of the Seddon Government that they have given every encouragement to the dairy produce trade, which has shown wonderful expansion under the stimulus of Government aid. But the good work of the Government is far from complete, and the strides taken by the dairy industry during the past few years illustrates the amount of good that can be secured by judicious interference on the part or the Government. Butter is not the only product that needs the fostering care of the Government ; there are other products which could be easily raised in the colony that are wholly neglected. A few days ago we pointed out that the sugar-beet could and should be cultivated, and Ave believe farmers would readily take to the growing of the beetroot if they were encouraged, not merely by bonuses, but by the diffusion of useful information, technical and otherwise. Then we believe that oil-seeds, such as linseed and sunflower seeds could be profitably grown in New Zealand. In Victoria, oil-seeds are being grown and converted into oi \ under Government supervision, and why cannot the same be done in this colony. The Department of Trade and Industries is not alive to the requirements of the country, otherwise we should have had a practical demonstration of its usefulness. But it would be infinitely better for this Department to remain in a comatose condition than that its efforts should be so baneful as in the case of the timber industry. Mr Frcyberg, the alleged expert, may mean well, but, in the language of the venerable Dick Deadeye, of Pinafore fame, "he don't know." His method of exploiting the timber of the colony has been expensive and profitless, but that should not discourage the Department, and prevent it from undertaking other work. We need to have the number of our products greatly multiplied ; we want those articles that we already produce exported at minimum cost : we want our producers educated to produce the best at the cheapest rate,'and this can be secured only by the aid of experts. The Department of Trade and Industries, with the help of the Agricultural Department, can do this for us if the chiefs will only wake up to the necessities of the time. Instead of political quackery and political cackling, the watchword of our political leaders on both sides should be " make production pay." To make production profitable is the burning question of the hour, and its solution has more interest for the bulk of the community than oldage pension schemes, State fire insurance, and other gilded panaceas. If our farmers do well out of their produce, then the whole country benefits ; and when they are harassed by low prices and heavy charges we experience the scourge of depression. The cure for depression is to make production pay, and to that end the energies of our politicians should bo directed.