THE PRIMARY PRODUCER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21347, 23 November 1932, Page 15

THE PRIMARY PRODUCER

Sir,—Air. Coates is reported to have stated in Tnrauaki a few days ago that, before Ottawa, the main concern of the Government was the question of a market for our produce; it was also reported that the Government, viewed the question with great anxiety. Now it is stated that the remedy for the present situation is to place more men on the land, 10.OCX) being the ntimber mentioned. If 10,000 more farmers are placed on the land, it will probably mean that 10,000 of those already farming will go under, unless some new uses for butter and cheese are found. If the unemployment situation was handled in a sensible manner, some good might be done. Let the single men metal cream cart routes; let us investigate the possibility of turning the West Coast tidal mud into manure by drying and grinding; let us ascertain if it is possible to grow hickory or other timber suitable for tool handles in New Zealand; let us offer a percentage of the gold won to any person who can give information of where to find it; let us take steps to manufacture cream separators y in New Zealand and thus put an end to the present prices. The present agitation to raise the exchange rate to 25 per cent may or may not afford some relief to the hard-pressed primary producer, but more than this is required. When it costs a farmer £2 an acre for grass seed alone, 3s for an axe handle, approximately £4O for a 90-gallon separator and so on ad infinitum, and he has to sell all his produce far below the cost of production, it does not require acumen'to foretell the certain end of the story, lc Mata. Chas. W. Munns.