ESTABLISHED 1866. The Marlborough Express MONDAY, MAY 31, 1920. THE PRIMARY PRODUCTS.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 126, 31 May 1920, Page 4

ESTABLISHED 1866. The Marlborough Express MONDAY, MAY 31, 1920. THE PRIMARY PRODUCTS.

Huge sums of money have been earned for Ne,.v Zealand during the last few years with the primary i>rociucts. Since 1910, the Dominion lias done wonderful things, monetarily, with its flocks and herds.' The • Hon. Mr 'Guthrie told the golden story a few days, ago, and there is no need ,to reproduce it in detail. Last year the output of wool and frozen meat Vepreseht-e'd.,close on 'thirty., millions ..sterling, as against • something less than thirteen millions in 1910; and * tht; ceiistis number of sheep' has not greatly in' the lrieantihle, the "fluctuation being between 24 aridl27 millions. Not the least remarkable feature is, the increase in the case of cheese and butter from about three millions to nearly eleven millions sferlirigv But the. "herds have .been growing, and the : three million: odd cattle in the Dominion last year represents ah" increase 'of one million head since 191 Q., The "dairy industry has been expanding, and it bids fair •to rank higher still as a contributor to New Zealand's development and Side by side with the notable success of our .-export trade ■ ini'recent yeai-s is £he extent to ■' whjeli tire Government has drawn on the local resources for1 its financial re^ quirements. Of the 105 millions raised for war and associated^ purposes 79. millions -were proyided'by the people of New Zealand. It is\a tremendous feat for such a small population, and one can only regret that this big sum of money could not have been devoted entirely to reproductive enterrises, such as railway ex+ensionv closer' seittlement, and hydro-electricity. The , position as that there has been a war-time ex--1 penditure of 105 ■ millions, and provision lias yefc'to be made for an adequate public-works programme. , If the Dominion could continue to count on the assured flow of wealth that it owes to the Imperial requisitions it .would be able to look ahead without nnxietv. But a change is coming over the scene. .

The future fortunes of the Dominion will depend mainly on the manner in which it is to.fare,"in the,markets qf the world; and the chief concern is the uncertainty of the prospects for the coming meat season in view of the announcement that the commandeer will end on June 30th. The Prime Minister admitted to the conference of producers in Wellington •that the congestion of stores at both ends gives the situation the appearnnce 'of a crisis, nnd he frankly confessed that the polution, of the problem wn.s not yet in sicht. In evtprniino; +-he meat contract, the British TJcard of' Trnrle stipulated that any meat -Durohfi^pd nnd remaininfr in ptore in ls<*w Z-?alfind on June 30th next phoukl hove nn absolute priority in shipment, over any nrivntely-owned! •refrigera+ed carp;o plnced in store p.fter that .dn.te, find this stipulation v-n.s acrreed to. Mr Ma.c«ey now says he does no+ tiiink the Imperial Government will insist on petting the last carcase out of the stores before ■<ye can ser> rT any of our own meat to London. TT r» hnd endeavored to find nnt when tlie T.mpprial. Government would rel^ce control of the shipping* V,nt he It"1 not, un to the present been successful. • Anpealtna: to the delegates at +lifl conference to put their heads ton-pi-Ver nnd help the Government to moot the position in the interests of the country, the Prime

Minister the comforting assurance that in any circumstances the Government would not "let tlie producers down." That pledge, we do not doubt, will be approved by all sections of the community. . It' is highly essential to the. welfare of the Dominion that the Government should stand in readiness to protect the frozen-meat industry from serious disorganisation. The very knowiedge that the State is prepared to come to the rescue of the staple industries, if necessary, should have a stabilising ond healthy effect on the trade and the economic life of the country. Tlie producers owe something to the community for this consideration, certainly; but it may be suggested to them that they could very well redeem the obligation by setting about the growing of enough wheat to satisfy local requirements.