ON BE LAND

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 198, 22 August 1917, Page 6

ON BE LAND

AGRICULTURAL PROGRESS

A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.

For the first, time since it was established in 19.14. the Board of Agriculture, through the Minister (Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald) in charge of r,he Department- presented a_ report in the House of Pi_hrcsontativt\s on Friday evening. The Board reported that as the result of a, special round-tho-table conference of the board and the officers of the Department of Agriculture interested in the question, it was decided to set up a committee to formulate the various amendments 'to the -Noxious Weeds Act that had been suggested with the view of getting ah amended Bill introduced into Parliament. PASTORAL LANDS. The report added that improvement of pastoral lauds was discussed at some- length, and the following resolution passed and sent on to the Minister for Lands:— "(I) That the deterioration of these pastoral runs is largely caused by the tenure under which, they are held.

'■'(2) That if the tenure was free-| hold th_ o-vners of the land would i very soon iind out the best way to improve them, and in most instances would do so without any further action of the Government.

"(!3) We, therefore, recommend that the land should be offered for sale.

"(4) That the areas in which the land is offered should be such as, having consideration to a reasonable limitation of areas, would enable tho •owner to have a sufficient number of shcop (having regard to the hazards natural to high country) to allow for losses, and yet insure an income from tho investment of his capital. Further, that in cutting up the area, regard must be had to tbe height of the country, the class of land, and the situation."

A considerable amount of experimental work has already been done by the Department in connection with this matter, and some success achieved so far as re-grassing the runs is concerned, although there has been no attempt to grant the freehold of the pastoral lands.

Tho Board states that the unquestionable success of many of the ex- I periments which have been undertaken in reclaiming what was thought at one time to be waste land, and bringing it into cultivation with the-assistance of manure and clover, makes the question of grassing the Taupo country one of moment, as there is such a large area which could be made suitable for settlement. RURAL EDUCATION. The subject of rural education has received a great deal of consideration from the Board. A report was drawn up and adopted by the Board, and the Minister of Agriculture interviewed on the subject. Nothing has been done since in connection with it, except that the president of the Board has drawn the Minister's attention not only to the report which the Board drew up, but to Mr Hog-ben's contribution to the subject, and the Board trusted the Minister would go more fully into the matter at a more propitious time.

The Board says it has urged time and again that the Government should extend the work of reafforestation. It has, however, always been pointed out , that the war was the reason that planting to a greater extent had not beeii. done.' The Board draws the Minister's attention to the great probability that many returned soldiere might be prepared to undertake the work of reafforestation. Trees, it says, cannot bo planted if seedlings have not boon raised, and the Board uregs that more money bo expended in this direction, preparing for the time "after the war."

Tho Board considers that demarcation of our present forests is as important as the planting annually of a. sufficient area for future wants, and should be gone on with. Regarding the export of inferior stud sheep, the Board passed a resolution approving of any effort made to keep up the quality of the stud rams exported, but as there was no legisla.tion empowering the Department to prevent the shipping of inferior sheep, the Board hoped that the Breeders:' Association would deal with the matter themselves, on similar line:-, to thos, adopted by the Romney Marsh Association.

IMPERIAL MEAT SUPPLIES. As some dissatisfaction had been manifested regarding the ownership of the meat m store at 'the j end.of the war, the Board made representations to the Prime Minister and urged him to take steps to ensure that at the conclusion of the existing agreement between the- Imperial Government and New Zealand producers to purchase all the meat available for export, the whole of the stocks in store at the conclusion of the war .should be taken over by the Imperial authorities, and not thrown back on the hands of the owners. The Board is of opinion that this is a matter which should be pressed on the Imperial authorities.

In connection with the American Meat Trust,, the Board had had several conferences of a very confidential nature with Dr. Reakes, Director of Live Stock Division, and much information was supplied by him. The Board reports that it was not losing sight, of tliis important matte..

DAMAGED WOOL, The Board recommends that the Government be asked to allow dirty and seedy wool to be shipped to Japan or other Allied countries, where suitaolo machinery for treating it is available.

The report deals at length with the wheat question. Several recommendations were made, and it was finally announced that the Government would purchase next season's wheat at.os 10d per bushel f.o.b. The Board still.-ninks, however, that the o.t. price.would bring a much larger area unto wheat than f.o.b. price. At a recent meeting of the Board a letter was received from a member of one of the Military Service Boards stating that a number of farmers who are drawn m the ballot, more especially in the back country, had frequently to dispose of their farms- in numerous cases they sold at a considerable loss; and pointing out that there was a danger in these circumstances of aggregation. The opinion was cxpiessod that it would be much fairer to these men if the Government wore to purc-ha.se their properties for settlement by returned soldiers After discussion, the Board decided to endorse the suggestions contained in the letter, and to forYu in the matter to the Minister for Defence. Tiie report was laid on tiie table.

A circular intended for distribution among the various brandies of the farmers' Union in the Auckland district, relating to Empire trading, dealt with at the last executive meeting, contained a table showing the value of some British imports from withm the Empire and from foreign countries, respectively, during 19Lj. Wheat and flour from British Dominions was valued at £2,742,210 the supply from foreign countries nrWti A valu© of £5,568,643 ; butter, £-,416,906, as against. £2] .605,839 from foreign countries; cheese, £11,----107,100, as against £3,702,366; cotton, £17,481,642, as against £47,189,981; wool, '£38,162.015, .as against £3,900,000. Seventy-four per cent, of the rubber imported oamo from within the Empire, as did 28 per cent, of the meat and 20 per cent, of the sugar.