The Star. SATURDAY, MAY 24, 1918. DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 24 May 1919, Page 4

The Star.

SATURDAY, MAY 24, 1918. DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE

delivered every evening by 8 o'cloc* la Hawcra, ' Maoa a. Normal.by, Okaiawa, 'ElthaEn, Mangatoki, fiapouga, Awatuna, Opuzvakc, Otak^ho, Msnutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea. Waverley.

The president of the Farmers' Union (Mr B. Dunn)^ in hie annual address delivered yesterday to thife year's conference in New Plymouth, touched upon several matters of very great importance not only to the delegates, but to the whole country. With the ending of the war and the prospect that a settlement in Europe will not be long delayed, problems which have always been with us have again presented themselves, demanding an early and proper solution. The nation has once more to shoulder its home responsibilities, and to readjust, re- ' organise, and extend its systems of [development. While the war lasted it was necessary to devote to it the undivided attention of leaders and people. "Lat ns first gain the victory and remove the Prussian menace to our national safety," was a iwise course to follow, and loyally the public has, on the whole, accepted this policy. But the people now feel that the time for progress has arrived. Nearly five years have passed since the slowing down on public works and internal affairs began y < ; and the Dominion reawakens to ! peace conditions to find that it is in a state which must be regarded as abnormal. . The national debt has been increased enormously ; war restrictions have numbed private enterprise; the cost of materials and the payment of labor have soared far aibove what they were before the war; and owing^o the disturbing influence of the upheaval there is much lost time to be made up. On every hand there is a cry from the people for expenditure of money iby the Government on this or that public work in the particular district. Now, it is just at this point where the ability of our leaders will be thoroughly tested, and, though there is, no doubt, much merit in all the demands being made by the various districts and industries, it is of the utmost importance that the Government shall make its decisions regarding expenditure with very great care. It will be the leaders' duty first to divide up the works for which calls upon the State are being made into two main classes—those which will give a substantial and early return for the money expended, and^

those from which no great results may be expected for a lengthy period of years. In a country such as this, dependent for its prosperity almost entirely upon the production of wool, meat, cheese and butler, there can be no question as to the necessity for the Government giving first and most thorough attention to encouraging people to go on the land and to make it yield in abundance those products for which there will always be a keen demand in the Old World markets. The interest on the huge debt to which the Dominion has 'been committed can only be met by production, and it is clear that, the greater the number of people engaged in the country's main industries and the greater the I value of their products, the sooner will the day arrive when the burden of taxation and debt will be reduced. That there will be a large influx of immigrants later, when conditions become anore settled, there can ibe little doubt, but they will but add to some of the problems if the majority find no outlet into the agricultural districts. Yet, it cannot be said that the average man to-day has much chance of setting himself up on a farm. Land prices for good country are such that a would-be farmer, possessed perhaps of a fair knowledge of agriculture, cannot afford to take up developed land, and lack of roads, railways and bridges in undeveloped districts make his prospects of success for a few years upon unbroken country very poor. One must, therefore, agree with Mr Dunn j that, even though it involve considerable initial expenditure, "it would be good business if the State would partly develop new lands so that men of small means could make a living on them from the start." The primary need of the Dominion is to encourage the proper class of man to go on the land, and to reduce year by year the large tracts of country which are lying idle. A satisfactory land policy is a very difficult task for any Government, but with the help of practical farmers throughout the country it should be possible to effect improvements upon the present system. Mr Dunn also touched upon the scientific side of farming, and, though this may be regarded a« part of the Government's responsibility, one feels that more might be done by the farmers themselves, . perhaps through the branches of the union. Unfortunately farmers, who by hard work and a naPPy choice of district have been able to secure fair returns each year, have not as a class been very keen on scientific farming, but their apathy must in time be overcome. Practical Jectures on the benefits to be derived from a more thorough application of science to agriculture might well be undertaken, and we (believe it only needs a strong lead to be given to arouse much more interest in the matter than there is at present. We hope that in the coming twelve .months the politicians will give their best attenion to land settlement and development, and that the afrmers will regard it as a national duty to do their utmost, individually and through their unions, "to help to make and to keep this Dominion the brightest jewel of our great Empire." We congratulate Mr Dunn on his helpful address.