FARMERS’ PARLIAMENT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 4 August 1926, Page 5

FARMERS’ PARLIAMENT.

PRODUCERS’ PROBLEMS.

ADDRESS BY PRIME MINISTER

(by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 3. The Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union was opened by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) to-day. Air W. J. Poison presided. Air Coates hoped the conference woidd be a: success, and that in their many discussions the delegates would do their utmost to solve some of the problems of the producers. The Government was anxious in every way to assist. It seemedi to him that- the

greater the knowledge possessed l by the farming community the better it would he for the whole nation. In some 30 centres information was given by officers of the Department of Agriculture. Those meetings were' attended' by some 5000 farmers. The department was finding it very difficult to keep pace ivith the demand: for instruction.

Referring to the agricultural college, 'a site- for which had been secured, he said that money would be available so that the college would 1 be brought up to date. To begin with, the dairy industry would have 1 the primary attention. It was only by having the highest practical knowledge that it was possible to compete with the competitors overseas. The largest proportion of agricultural production' was derived from 17,000,000 acres of grass land. It was on the permanent and increasing production of herbage, turned) into butter-fat, wool and meat, that our prosperity mainly depended. The Government was thoroughly convinced that the extension of pasture top-dressing on a far greater scale was the, most urgent necessity for New Zealand farm management. It was essential to secure that extension at the' earliest possible moment. The' price of fertiliser had been investigated. Important negotiations were being conducted which, it was hoped, would appreciably lessen the cost to the farmer. At present 120,000 tons of phosphate, were being used for top-dressing, but the ouantity should be at least four times that amount.