DAIRY FARMERS' PROBLEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20767, 9 January 1931, Page 10

DAIRY FARMERS' PROBLEMS.

An expert investigation of the present problems of the dairy farmer has begun, the committee sitting for the first time yesterday. As Sir Apirana Ngata put it, the Government wanted a diagnosis of the ills of the industry and the object of the conference was to get down to realities. It is a partial inquiry dealing only with a part of a widespread national problem, but so far as it goes it has a great deal to commend it. In the past it has been difficult to get at the facts. It has been impossible to determine even upon the formal views of farmers' organisations how much allowance should be made for the personal equation. The tendency always is for such views to be coloured by the extent of the difficulties facing one's own particular group. There are scores of farmers who are "overloaded." They have been struggling for years against too heavy capital charges, and however one may sympathise with them, it would be impossible for the State to shoulder the burden of what has proved to be an unwise purchase. Thus the inquiry must be made from the point of view of the average dairy farmer whose troubles are wholly due to the present slump in produce values. ThiJs was made clear by the Government representative in opening the conference and from a committee of such an expert personnel reliable proposals may be expected. They are mainly officials of the industry who know its details and the general position "of farmers better, one should imagine, than any body that could have been assembled. Thus the whole country will await with interest the result of the committee's deliberations. Naturally it will not be able to offer any magic solution of dairy farmers' troubles, but what may be expected are a statement of the real facts of the situation and, based upon these, some practical suggestions within the realm of reason by which many farmers may be helped to face and overcome their difficulties.