NORTHERN PROGRESS

Northern Advocate, 16 November 1929, Page 8

NORTHERN PROGRESS

In the course of editorial reference to the importance of agricultural and pastoral shows, we ventured the opinion yesterday .that the potentialities of the north in the matter of agriculture ami grazing are becoming more generally recognised every year. .Tins observation was jendorsed' today by the Hon. J. G. Gobbe, Minister of Industries' and Commerce, when • officially opening the, fine, ‘dairy , factory which has been built at Moerewa. The Minister said it had been felt for some time, by those qualified to-judge, that the future .of the great northern district was wrapped up in the proper fostering of the dairy industry. The Auckland . - Province easily led the other provinces in regard to annual output. For the 12 months ended July of this year, the province sent into the grading stores no less than 1,063,610 ewt. of butter and 265,107 cwt. of cheese out of a total Dominion production of .1,633,187 cwt. of butter and 1,7.32,135 cwt. of cheese. He added —and this is the point we have tried to emphasise—that whilst it is a fact that the hulk of the production came from the South Auckland province, nevertheless great progress has been evidenced in the past few years so far as North Auckland is concerned. Actually 742,161 boxes of butter and 10,113 crates of cheese were exported from this area last season. “I confidently anticipate, ” declared the Minister, “that the rate of increased production will he greater in the north than in the south during the next decade.” The Minister has much to justify this anticipation, for real development of the north is only in its infancy. Top-idrossing is improving pastures, herd-testing is increasing the output of butter-fat, large areas of land have still to be brought into cultivation, and altogether there is every reason to believe that years of prosperity await the north/