Farmers' Response To Appeal For Production Vital

Northern Advocate, 26 April 1944, Page 2

Farmers' Response To Appeal For Production Vital

speaking at the Northland Ward Conference of the New Zealand Dairy Board at Whangarei, Monday, the Board’s chairman (Mr. W. i.l. Hale), dealt tally with the requests which have come from overseas for considerable increases in the production of butter and cheese, and strongly urged on those present rn make this the dairy industry's supreme effm i of tiie war period. Stating that the Dairy Board, speaking on the industry’s behalf in the recent negotiations with Up. l Government, had pledged the industry to securing increased supplies of dairy produce for Britain and the Allied Nations, Mr. Hale asked those present to say whether they were prepared to do everything humanly possible to give effect to that pledge. The ward conferences of The Board, said Mr. Hale, were the gatherings at which the industiy was called upon ’o approve or criticise their leadership. H? had spoken to thorn previously on many big industry problems, but never before under conditions of greater urgency or importance. The Board had pledged the industry to extend itself to the limit to secure, during the next three years, ilie increased dairy production which was needed to feed the soldiers of he Fnited Nations and the war workers of Britain, and it was essential for them to know whether the industry was prepared to back up that pledge 100 per cent.

Circumstances over which the farmers had had little control, had led to a rapid decline in production over , the past three seasons, with the '•psult that to-day tin- cow numbers wore lower than in any season since 1031-32. Now there had come from overseas a most urgent call io the industry to attempt to arrest this decline, and, if possible, increase buttorfat production 10 per cent, to 20 per cent, over the next, three seasons. Negotiations With Government The Hoard had for a long time past boon deeply concerned about the decline in production, and had repeatedly warned the Government of its seriousness. At the end of last season the position had worsened to such ;m extent that the Board instructed its officers to prepare a careful survey of future prospects. As soon as that was completed, in October hist, the Board had forwarded an urgent statement to the Prime Minister, fully outlining- the position, and asking- that urgent action lie taken. By December only an acknowledgement of the receipt cf the letter had been received, so the Board interviewed the Minister of Agriculture (Mon. B. Roberts), putting forward specific proposals for securing more heifer calves next season, and thus building up the national herd again. Those proposals were not acceptable to ter Minister, and on February 2 this year, they saw him again in connection with some counter proposals lie had put forward, which the Board felt it could not accept. Mr. Roberts then advised that wider proposals relating io agriculture as a whole were under consideration, but they had had no knowledge of them until they were called urgently to Wellington by the Prime Minister on March 7. At that conference of primary producers, the Prime Minister read urgent cables from Great Britain, emphasising the serious position reached ’n the supply of butter, cheese and meat, and indicating that unless the supply position improved rapidly, further cuts in her rations would have to be made. Those present were asked to advise, on proposals which unfortunately had not been made public. The report dealt with questions of manpower, fertiliser supplies, restoring dairy cow numbers, rearing more heifer calves, and the. increased production of pig meats; and in addition a special finance committee was called upon to advise on the -financial measures needed to put the plan into effect. Finally, after lengthy discussions, the Dairy industry Council decided on April 5. that if the Prime Minister would make an announcement as to the Government’s proposals, ii would undertake to do everything possible to encourage and stimulate the maximum production of dairy produce. They were all firmly o[the opinion that the industry “could do the job much better if it took it up itreit, than if it wore brought into effect by a lot of Government regulations.” Change Over From Dairying

After dealing with the financial details, and their effect, on next season’s Lutterfat returns (dealt, with elsewhere) Mr Hale said that the Government was considering a provision whereby dairy farmers might not change to other types of fanning, and the Board had also been asked to give further consideration to the question of whether farmers who had changed to sheep or dry stock during the last three years, should not be requited to change back to dairying. Personally, he was somewhat doubtful about. the practical nature of the second clause, but so far as keeping all present dairy farmet s in dairying was concerned, he considered no great hardship -need be created if the regulation was applied with the same discretion and undarsiaviding as was shown in the, change-oVcr from butter to cheese. “You have heard the Government's proposals,” said Mr. Jiate, "and 1 new come to the question of the industry's responsibility in securing the increase m production which is so vital to our kith and kvi in the Old Country, and also to the fighting forces and war workers of the Allied Nations. You have been told, time and time again—but il will bear repeating—that on your efforts during the next few years might well depend the early conclusion of this war. I go further than that, and tell you that your success m increasing production might well play a major part in the successful foundation of an enduring peace. Future At Stake 'At this point I would just like to emphasise that, no matter what die position within Now Zealand, whether it be concerned with politics or economics, this great industry of ours must keep : ts longterm vision directed overseas. There be the markets for nearly IK) per cent of our pioduce, and according to whether we serve or fail those markets in this, their hour of greatest need, might well depend the treatment we ourselves will teceive when post-war conditions return to normal, and whose markets are again thrown open to competition. No time was ever more opportune for the budding up of a firm foundation for goodwill towards this Dominion’s primary industries. The success of your efforts during the next three years will not only serve the interests of the fight, for world freedom, but will also ensure the post-war security of your industry.

"Lot mo take you si step further into the future, '['he devastated coua'/ies of Europe will take approximately live years to recover from the effects of this war, so far as agriculture is concerned, Nevertheless, nothing' is more certain than that they will take far-reaching steps to reorganise their agriculture, and ihis in turn will step up Europe’s production of foodstuffs many times over. We have a substantial interval for building up complete efficiency in production in Now Zealand, but we will not help matters if we delay in setting about that task. "In my opinion, our job as an industry to-day is clear cut. Nothing whatever should be permitted to hinder us from increasing production, assisting tinwar effort to tlie maximum of our ability, and putting our industry in a soundlybased position to face up to the post-war: years with confidence in its own efficiency. We weaken our own case if, instead of attending to our own business, we take too* much notice of a few it responsible sections of the industrial community. "1 now ask you, therefore, whetfics- as individual farmers, as directors of dairy companies, and particularly as chairmen of dairy companies—you are orepared in the immediate future to give effect 10 our pledge to Uritain and the Yllied Nations. I am asking- you whether you will do everything humanly possible to scitite the objective of at least 10 per cent, increase in butterfnt production next season.”