North Farmers Face Problem Of Production Increase

Northern Advocate, 28 May 1940, Page 4

North Farmers Face Problem Of Production Increase

[Special to “Northern Advocate ”] ■. KAIKOHB, This Day. i “This meeting of farmers from thei Bay and Hokianga Counties pledges] itself to do all within its power to in- i j crease the production of the North to! I meet the demands of the situation in ] ! Europe, and appoints a committee to j ! attend the conference of the North-1 J land Eiry Companies to place before | ’ those present schemes suggested' at j this meeting.” ] The above resolution was unani- j mously carried at a largely-attended j meeting in the Regent Theatre, Kai- ] kohc yesterday afternoon to discuss \ problems relating to the increasing of' production. i Dr. G. M. Smith, Rawene, who was 1 largely responsible for calling the j : meeting, stated that the Dominions i { were faced with the task of not only ’ | feeding Great Britain but also France,! j Denmark and Holland. He stressed that farmers in the, North should not wait for the Govern-, ment to set up committees, but should - select the best brains in the North to take charge of the task so that those in charge would know the locality and its difficulties. Referring to the Government’s suggestion to place men from roads and similar work on to farms, he stated that this would not give immediate results. “This war is not going to be a long one, but it is going to be very bloody,” he said. “We are going to bo bled dry, whether we win or lose.” Free Manure Urged Dealing with the problem of increasing production, ho said that the easiest and quickest method would be to apply more manure to the land end suggested that the manure should be supplied by the Government free. He stated that the British Government was now subsidising .essential industries and that what was possible in Great Britain was also possible in its Dominions. “We are not after financial results,” he said, “but physical results, and what is a physical result must be made a financial result.” Mr R. Yarborough said that manure was the only solution to an immediate increase in the North’s production, and instanced the benefit which free manure had been to numerous native settlors in the Hokianga county. He also urged farmers not to send so many 18-months and two-year-old stoers to the works to be passed as boners, when next year they might be required for beef. Although supporting Dr. Smith’s suggestion of liberal manuring, he did not think that free manure was possible, but was of the opinion that if the existing" rural credit scheme was extended the farmers would stand a bettor chance to buy the manure they independently requird. Discing' and Lime Mr K, M. Cumber stated that, as manure was at present difficult to obtain, heavy discing should be more extensively used. To make sure of the fertility of the soil he suggested an adequate supply of lime. It was then moved by Mr J. W. McAulay that a committee representing the meeting should be appointed to attend the conference of the Northland dairy companies in Whangarei, and moved that Messrs Grounds, Yarborough, J. G. Ritchie and H. H. Mountain comprise the committee. Mr F. G. Dibble, in seconding the motion, stated that the difficulty would be to obtain adequate supplies of manures. “The only way to ensure an adequate supply would be for the Government to take over the control of all the lime pits in the country and the phosphate manure works and keep them going for 24 hours per day,” he stated. The chairman of the Bay Power Beard (Mr A. E. Bisset) said that it made his blood boil to hear of men refusing to load ships on Easter Monday without exceptioanlly high rates of pay. “What is it coming to?” ho asked. “We must realise that this is a fight to the death. “If Britain loses we might just as well be dead. It will be no use worrying about a few extra pounds then, for there’ll be none to have.” Formers should be given manure, for even if it were to be given to them by the Government free of charge, the farmers would pay for it in the end.

he said. Local Knowledge Needed Speaking of the men and machinery available in the Public Works Department, Mr W. H. White said that if machinery were utilised to clear rivers and drains, a large amount of good farmland would immediately be made available for production. Mr H. F. Guy dealt with the suggestion made by the Government to shift men from districts, such as Taranaki and Waikato, to farms in the North, but stated that unless a person possessed local knowledge he could not be expected to farm successfully.

“As sons and daughters of the Empire, it is our duty to do all we can in this hcur of need,” Mr Guy stated, “and the farmers of the North should not lose any time in getting down to business.” Mr C. L. Cameron suggested that a central executive should be formed with a committee to assist from each factory, but the meeting was of the opinion that the choice of a committee should be left to the four men already nominated, and that they should have the power to add as they felt fit. Various methods of helping the increase in production were then made by farmers present. Mr A. T. Squire suggested that a certain amount of swedes and such crops should be allowed to go to seed so that there would be no shortage of seed for next year’s crops. Mr Dibble expressed the view that a number of ewe lambs were being urtnecessarily killed, and that the result was an decrease in the wool production, which was far from desirable, and Mr A. H. Wright suggested that the Government should be immediately approached to see if iron could be supplied for developmental work around the farms. Mr Hutchinson was appointed secretary of the fiieeting to carry on the secretarial work which will result from the discussions and the resolutions passed.