FARMERS' OUTLOOK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17632, 19 November 1920, Page 7

FARMERS' OUTLOOK.

DAIRYING AND WOOL. *

SIR J. WILSON'S VIEWS

AN OPTIMISTIC NOTE.

[BY TELEGRAPH— OWN- conr.Esroxt)».M ]

WANGAN'UI. Tnursdo? The - outlook for the farmer v.as Heal', with in an interview 10-dav bv Sir J«:n«j Wilson, president of the Board of Agriculture. "It is a great comfort," sa ; d Sir James, " that the outlook for dairy farmers is promising and that prices are assured for probably a couple of years. That section of the farmers, at any rate, along the west coast and in the Auckland Province, largely outnumber any other class. They have generally paid veryhigh prices for their land, too much sometimes, and they will need all ths assist ance they can get by way of a good price to help them over the stile. The onlyregret that their well-wishers have is that they do not make the most of their farms. " Although the outlook tor wool is not reassuring the sheepfarmers have a ■ bright spot as far as lambs are concerned : Already good offers have been made for i lambs, but for old fst ewes, which have j been selling so well, the price named is only about half, that of lambs. Lamb fat- | tening should therefore be fairly well a* j sured. This will lead no donbt to a j greater area of land being put in rape i than usual. '"It is when wool is considered that the j mind is blank. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best is about as good advice as anyone can give. Still the last letter from London from a New Zealand woo! grower speaks well of the hands which guide the sale of our wool there on behalf of the Imperial Government, viz., Sir Arthur Goldfinch. My correspondent says: —'He is a broadminded man. and nothing will turn him from doing what he considers right. He is genuinely anxious to see our wool get justice, both for his department sake and for the Dominion -If he is not interfered with by politicians he will get fair play. There is, however, a strong determination to 'bear' the market. Information reaches me that some hie; buyers have been pretty hard hit over some of our which they thought they saw money in., and they are determined naturally to do what "they can* to get prices down so that they can buy cheaply enough to recoup themselves.'* **" "Sir Arthur Goldfinch." continued Sit*. James. " thinks it will be two years before the accumulations can be cleared off; the market. However, it is well gnardfri; and speculators who are waiting for panic prices to hold for a rise will, T" think, be disappointed. It remains with our woolgrowcrs to stiffen up and say that we will hold until the demand arises, and that demand is sure to come owing to the scarcity of 3heep all over the world. I am told that it would be unwise to ship more than 200,000 bales per month, as more than that would only weaken the position. As far as experts, can estimate there will be between GOO.OOO . end 700,000 bales of New" Zealand wool in store or afloat at the beginning of the year plus what is shorn" of the new clip. It is estimated that- about half of this, or some 300,000 bales, consists of coarser -wool* If fashion changes or the Continental demand brightens if it is not a great many bales to absorb. There is no reason why we should not be of good cheer and not afraid. , " The Government has taken authority to guarantee the banks if an advance by them is necessary to growers. Agents are sanguine that they can meet requirements, so that as far as I can see it only require* growers to have confidence and patience, making perhaps the beßt of a had job, yet remembering that the future prospects for our main line of produce are bright." '■*

POTATO AND GRAIN CROPS. PROLIFIC YIELDS EXPECTED. ROOTS ALSO promising: ' ' The opinion is widely held that the present season will be an exceptionally proline one as far as agricultural products' are concerned. . A prominent Waikato farmer stated yesterday that all the crops' he had seen this season were showing fine growth. The early growth had been somewhat retarded by frosts, but during the last six weeks exceptionally favourable weather had been experienced, and in some csjtes phenomenal progress had resulted. Potato and grain crops were looking exceedingly well, and the flush of feed in the pastures was greater than he remembered seeing in any previous year. As instancing the difference between the growth this spring.and that of last season he mentioned that last year he shut up a paddock for bay and failed to get a crop worth harvesting. This year the same paddock was giving a record crop. ' ■-'.■■■■ '*--'■* *' .*' - "■-•*■* The opinion was expressed by » prominent produce merchant that both root, and grain crops, would be unusually abundant this season. He said it was rather early to form a reliable estimate of the prospective yields, but reports from all the country districts were very encouraging. In view of the favourable weather that had prevailed since the last cold snap he thought the success of cropping operations was assured. v .-, '..

ME. MASSEY CONFIDENT. _ LOW VALUES FOR WOOL. " THE FLY IN THE . OINTMENT," [BY TELEGKAPH. —OWN- CXTRBSSPOifS-ZSr ."i ' WANGANOi. Thursday. The Prime Minister attended; the Wanganui Show to-day-, and' in dkoti'sin-; matters affecting the producers, said he was pleased to congratulate the-" farmers on the good season. The price of „ -wool ■was not as good as it might be, bat they would eet good prices for their meat $nd dairy produce.'- -Wool was th» "gy in the ointment," hut they would get over that; the? would hare to be "guarded in the matter, and not rush the markets. Within a year or a little over he wa» pretty confident of a sound market. The finance of the country was a* sound as it was possible to be. They had. however, to look to the future, as well as th» present. If all nulled together daring the next 12 months then all wrj-.j'd be well. Economy and thrift were re"'«srr. and each section of the rr,n}mur>hv thotiid do it* best for other?. The prire-ipa! t«pw nihility rested with the ftfvicrers. Re had no fear for the euowti-v. ev«n if the--experienced a slump, os they would <-ome out all riffbt in the end.