PRIMARY PRODUCTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19495, 26 November 1926, Page 12

PRIMARY PRODUCTION.

ASSISTING THE' FARMER. HON. O. J. HAWKEN'S VIEWS. [B? TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] "WHANGAREI. Thursday. The Minister of Agriculture, Hon. O. J. Hawken, speaking at the Whangarei Chamber of Commerce dinner this evening, referred to deteriorated lands and said it would be better that such lands should be planted with trees. He was in favour of seeing all land in the Dominion producing something, and advocated the "bringing in of swamp lands to a state of productivity. If the Government could help in any way to obtain tha desired object he, as Minister of Agriculture, would use his best endeavours on that behalf. Mr. Hawken said he would do his best to reduce the high costs of farming. He realised as a farmer what the men on the land were up against, and would do his best to help the genuine " trier " to make a success. t As far as sheep and fat lambs were concerned, the Minister considered that the southern parts of New Zealand would have to look to their laurels, • otherwise the North would soon outstrip them. He paid a high tribute to the North generally and to how it had progressed during the last few years. He anticipated that in the near future it would vie with the most flourishing districts in the Dominion.