2600 Pages Of Evidence

Northern Advocate, 4 June 1948, Page 4

2600 Pages Of Evidence

Sheep Commission

CHRISTCHURCH, Fri. (P.A.).—The Royal Commission inquiring into the sheep industry completed its South Island itinerary in Christchurch on Wednesday and the members and staff left for the north yesterday. Wednesday was the commission’s 110th sitting day and to date 2600 pages of evidence have been noted.

The pages are bound together in 12 volumes and by the time the commission finishes its task it is expected that the number will be increased to 20. The commission, which was appointed on August 6 last year, had its first meeting on September 10 and opened public sittings in Wellington on November 18.

In January it made a tour of the Gisborne area and in February came to Christchurch for its first South Island sittings. TOUR OF S. ISLAND During the last four months the commission has made a complete tour of the South Island, hearing evidence and inspecting properties ranging from fertile flat country to high country sheep runs. The Government received requests to set up a commission to inquire into "high country problems several years ago and tentative arrangements to comply with the requests had to be shelved during the war. The commission is charged with finding solutions to the problems of declining fertility and production in hill and high country areas, the basis of New Zealand's major export industry, the drift of population from country to town, and the task of enumerating a method of improving and securing the welfare of the sheepfarmer, whose fortunes have fluctuated in the past with a detrimental effect on production and exports. TWO INTERIM REPORTS The scope of the inquiry and the size of the administrative organisation make the commission one of the biggest yet set up in New Zealand. It has presented two interim reports which are now being considered bj l the Government. In July the commission will travel through the Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu and Taranaki districts. From September to November it will be in Auckland and the central districts of the North Island, and later in November will make inspections and hear final arguments on the evidence in the Wanganui area.

Its report is not expected to go forward to the Government until March of next year.