FOOD FOR WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23626, 9 April 1940, Page 10

FOOD FOR WAR

INCKEASED PKODUCTION NEW ZEALAND FARMING DIRECTOR DETAILS PROBLEMS Problems facing the National Council of Primary Production in its war' effort of maintaining farm production and increasing it wherever possible were outlined by Mr. P. B. Tennent, director of primary production, in addressing a meeting of the Auckland District Council of Primary Production yesterday. Ho said there were three main avenues of production awaiting exploitation—greater pig killings, more butter-fat production and heavier wool clips. "The war is not .running to schedule," said Mr. Tennent, "and consequently our original programme of development has been affected in some measure. There has not been the big drain on foodstuffs in Britain -that was expected, which has made our job a little bit easier. Nevertheless, we have had to concentrate on increasing our production." Opening Ne\y Areas Mr. Tennent said New Zealand could best achieve the desired results by concentrating her effort on farmers already farming. They wero trained in the essentials of the job, ho said, and had the capacity for advancing production. Farmers should be encouraged to improve their methods, as there was always room for improvement to attain maximum production. "We have considered breaking in large areas of unproductive land by the most rapid means," continued Mr. Tennent. "However, we feel that, to maintain production, existing farmers must help. New country may be extremely costly to farm, and when it is ultimately brought in it may not haves the desired result of raising production very materially." The Labour Problem Referring to a labour survey conducted by the council last year. Mr. Tennent said the shortage generally proclaimed throughout the country did not exist to the extent stated. Farming did not suffer from any labour shortage last season, but the future position was likely to be different. Over 3000 men from farms had enlisted, and, while there would be many replacements from youths leaving school,' some of the essential workers would be difficult to replace. "A number of thesn men are to bo found employed by the Public Works Department, and the department and the Government are anxious that they should be given every inducement to return to the land," continued Mr. Tennent. "One of the biggest drawbacks is the housing conditions r.n farms. There is a scheme lor financing rural housing, but it does not go far enough. To be effective, it would bo necessary to provide a maximum number of houses on farms at the cheapest rates in the shortest time. The council has put recommendations before the Government, which is at present further developing the scheme, hoping to attract men back to the farm.' Hours o! Work ' Mr. Tennent said he did not believe labour to be an insurmountable difficulty. There was a tendency to develop the family unit on the farm, and that he held to be the most efficient. He agreed that, given good conditions and a good house, the farm labourer was not vdeeplv concerned about working over five days a week, and eight hours a day. . ~ Urging greater pig production Mr. Tennent said killings had declined considerably in the" past three >eais, 111 spito of' barley prices being the cheapest in the country's history. He recommended farmers to save more heifer calves to build up dairy production, ana he added that no heed should be taken of loose talk regarding the danger of over-production in wool. "Ihese are common-sense lines for advancing pioduction," he said.

QUESTION OF FINANCE MORE ASSISTANCE URGED The financing of farmers already heavily mortgaged has constituted one of the major "difficulties encountered by the National Council of Primary 1 reduction in prosecuting its programme to increase primary production to meet war needs, according to. Mr. K. Tennent, director of primary production. who visited Auckland yesterday. "The average farmer who wants monev for essentials cannot get it, said Mr. Tennent. "He is already mortgaged up to the hilt, and has no further security. There is 110 question that ho could do with more money, and would probably do well with it. Any organisation which can devise some scheme tor a farmer to obtain finance without security would provide a major serVl< Mr. Tennent said State and private lending institutions were prepared to advance finance only 011 sound .security . No farmer, he said, had in getting money if he had some security.