“MUST GET DOWN TO IT"

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 6 April 1926, Page 1

“MUST GET DOWN TO IT"

INCREASED PRODUCTION IMPERATIVE HON. O. J. UAVVKEN'S VIEWS Increased production as the solution of ino economical problems of New Zealand was urged by the Don. O. .J. llawken Minister of Agriculture, in a speech at the opening of the new hall oi the. Northern A. and P. Association, s;ivg. the Lyttelton Times. "I have always considered the Agricultural and Pastoral Department a verv important one, (and I consider that our ideas in the past have not, been along the proper lines, said Mr llawken. "1 iinnly believe that a department that has to do with such great producing interests should receive more support than it has been receiving in the past. lam speaking quite frankly. It will be my duty to lay down a sound policy and*to look into the various issues involved in connection with farming. "The Department should have more funds at its disposal than it has. We have spent in various other Departments a great deal of money. The expenditure of this Department has remained the same every year. In this country we have a large number of farmers who were not trained as fanners. They were not bYought up on farms. Our agricultural college, which I hope will shortly come into being, is a great thing. My concern, however, is for the men.on the land. We must wait for the results of the teaching that is given the young folk. That will come. But we must not lose sight of the men who are on the land to-day. That is the point, and it is an important pojj|t too. INCREASED PRODUCTION We must get down to it and produce more than we have been doing. The great need of New Zealand to-day is increased production. The Agricultural Department will ]iave to take it into its hands to see that a great deal more instruction is given to the young people who intend to take up farming. We must do everything possible to help the farmer to produce more than he has been producing. "We have men thoroughly skilled in farming in our Department, and 1 am of the opinion that we have not made full use of these men in the past. We have nianv difficulties to pass; but we will do it'.

"DIFFICULT TIMES'' "Unless we increase production, I say that we have difficult times ahead. 1 believe that this country is as good a country as there is on the face of God's earth, and L believe that we can always depend on the country; hut we've got. to do our hit. "We must not lose sight. <if the human element.. Little financial troubles and so mi visit us sometimes - but by gelling down to it. we can win through. THE WHEAT PPOBI.KM "There are several branches of the Agricultural Department. There is. the Fruit, (irowing Division, the Agricultural division, the Fields division, the Stock division and the Seeds division When 1 went into oflice I took up a slam! willi regard to wheat growing, mid being ;i North Island man, many people in the South said that you down here could expect very little support hum rue when il came to wheat, growing., I don't 100-k at it that way at all. New ./.-aland isn't big enough' to split into two pieces. I maintain that it should be kepi as one. (Applause). 'AX AMICAP.LE AOftEEMEXT" "We miisi strengthen out exports T believe thai by giving help | 0 the farmers we can in a very short time gel sullieie.nl wheal I'or the Dominion. 1 «»i hopipng thai ihe Srwilh Island farmers will grow more wheal. 1 ''•'ist thai the difficult v belween you I""!' 1 '- : ' ! "1 Hie mill owners will he setlied amicably. Th,. two, parlies don'l M ' (, '» to be \ei-y amicable at I lie pre•<rl" -hue. It's a fact that if we don't grow wheal there \\ iT| he mi need for nulls: milling can't goon if there is no wheal. \\ e mustn't 1< rgel that. '