LORD BLEDISLOE AT PARORANGI

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 7, 8 December 1931, Page 5

LORD BLEDISLOE AT PARORANGI

ADVICE TO FARMERS. MARKETING POSSIBILITIES. A largo assemblage of farmers awaited the arrival of the GovernorGeneral, Lord Bledisloe, on his; visit to tho Short Estate at Parorangi yesterday afternoon, the gathering being in connection with the official visit of Lord and Lady Bledisloe to Feilding. In front of the homestead on the property Mrs Short and her sons were presented to His Excellency while enthusiastic cheers were given for the viceregal visitors by the children of the Cheltenham School, who were assembled and to whom Lord Bledisloe spoke for a few minutes. Mr W. L. Grice, president of the Feilding branch of tho Farmers’ Union, extended a welcome to Lord Bledisloe on behalf of the farmers ; thanking him for his kindly interest in the welfare of tho farmers of the Dominion and tho assistance he was giving them in many ways. Mr Grice regretted that tho time of His Excellency was so short on the occasion of this visit and hoped that the next visit would allow him to see more of the farms and stock of the district. FELLOW FARMER. In reply, Lord Bledisloe said he came among tho farmers as a fellowfarmer. He sympathised with them in their troubles, but knew they were of tho right stock and would win through. All the same it behoved them to guard against unwarranted expenditure in any 1 way for it was only by the making of personal and national sacrifices that the country would regain its feet. Dealing with the causse of the present depression, which is affecting New Zealand, His Excellency said that, so far as we were concerned, one of the troubles was the unemployment at Homo through the depression lowering the purchasing power of the public, and ho was sorry to say that it seemed as if it would be some time yet before things got back to normal from the aftermath of the war in England and other countries. Another reason was the hoarding of gold by the United States and France, for as long as gold remained the standard of monetary value, and some nations hoarded it, others had to suffer from a shortage. At the same time, however, the silver lining was showing through, and at the present time steps were being taken to give British industries the greatest fillip they had ever known. Already unemployment was less in England, and when England prospered so would Now Zealand. (Applause.) It gavo him great pleasure, tho speaker went on, to observe the splendid manhood which was presented to him at those gatherings and, seeing it, ho had every confidence in the future. New Zealanders were made of the right stuff—they belonged to the old British stock with all its capabilities, resourcefulness and stamina. We had good land, particularly in this district, together with the finest growing climate in the world. The costs of production of farm produce in Nc)v Zealand were very much lower than in Denmark, the speaker explaining amidst laughter that when he said costs of production lie did not mean costs which an extravagant Government might have put on. Proceeding, Lord Bledisloe drew comparisons between the herbage growing capabilities of Denmark and New Zealand, the former only being able to pasture stock outside for about four or five months of the year, while New Zealand could do so all the year round. Stabling, the growing of hard feed of various kinds and the feeding indoors of the cattle cost the Danes a lot of money, all of which went on to the cost of the product of their farms, and tho same practically applied to Canada. For these reasons, tne speaker said lie always remarked it was ridiculous to say that the farmers of New Zealand could not compete with the farmers of Denmark. NOTE OF CAUTION. His Excellency lyciit on to sound a note of caution in regard to the avoidance of extravagance with the return of . prosperity. New Zealand had developed at an amazing rate and obviously spent money beyond its means and this could not go on. Individually and collectively the people of the country had just about reached the “end of their tether.” It would, perhaps, be another nine or ten years before things would reach normal, and only hard work and economy would see us through. The speaker knew it was not a pleasing gospel he was expounding, but he appealed to liis hearers to give heed to it as he did not want the chidlren of to-day to have to grow up and inherit any other than their rightful inheritance as citizens. Lord Bledisloe was sure that heed would be given to his words nnd that we would not continue to pile up a great municipj.l or national debt to leave to our children.

Referring back to farming operations, the Governor-General advised the farmers not to be afraid of the cry of over-production. It was true that at the present time there was over production, but only because onehalf of the world was impoverished. He wished to impress on tne farmers of New Zealand tnat two-thirds of the food being put on the British market to-day was nothing like the quality of the food that New Zealand was capable of producing and exporting to England. There was, for instance, nothing like Canterbury lamb or New Zealand honey, but before New Zealand. products could succeed as they should several changes were needed. Co-operation was needed, together with systematised marketing and a strict grading of products for the benefit of the whole farming community.. Individual farming efforts could never compete with the co-operative farming communities such as Denmark, n,nd His Excellency hoped that attention would be given to these matters in the near future. PIG INDUSTRY.

Touching briefly on the pig industry, Lord Bledisloe said he did not like the views of some writers to the Press lately who had said that there was no room for New Zealand pork and bacon on the British market in competition with the Danish product. It was idle to say this as there 'was \ ample rdom for the New Zealand product, but it had to be corn fed. The New Zealand farmer could not expect to build up the pig required on the English market by feeding it solely on “dairy slops.” He did not propose to go into the question just at present as to the cost of grain feeding, but he knew it was possible to. grow some form of legumes for pigs and this was a great food for the building up of the type of pig required in England. New Zealand could turn out the pig for the British market without a doubt, but it must have as little fat as possible, the flesh must be white and firm and not such as would melt away in the pan before the eyes of the British housekeeper. At the conclusion of his address Lord Bledisloe inspected the stud Hereford stock and llomney Marsh sheep of the estate, later returning to Feilding to be entertained at afternoon tea at the residence of Hon. J. G. Cobbe.