PRIMARY PRODUCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25211, 25 May 1945, Page 8

PRIMARY PRODUCE

PROSPECTIVE INCREASE { FARM LABOUR POSITION t (O.C!) HAMILTON, Thursday f "It, would appear that, over the * whole season. New Zealand will be able to supply til f United Kingdom with from 20,000 to '21,000 tons of butter and from 9000 to 10,000; tons of cheese 1 in excess of the 1048-44 * season / ' said , the acting-Prime Minister, Mr Nash, ] ivhen discussing primary production for ( 1944-45 in an address at the Frankton ( Town: Ball- tonight,* In addition New ( Zealafvd • was supplying the V" ,t . e i d i States-Joint Purchasing' Board with its j increased, requirements of butter and , cheose for 1945. I "The total. estimated production ot butter and cheese for. the 1944-45 season will be in excess of the two previous seasons," he added. "It .is also higher than the pre-war production of and only slightly below that of the first war year. The production of meat tor the first seven months of 1944-45, as shown by the export killings, is 10 per cent by weight above the same period of 1943-14. The full seasons results should show an increase of from A),OUU to 22.000 tons of meat." Discussing the farm labour position, Mr Nash said the over-all position at present, apart from seasonal movements, was better than it had been at any time during the last three years. Since April, ]94!< nearly 4500 men had been withdrawn from the farming industry tor service with the armed forces, while a total of 14,727 from all sources had entered the industry The latter figure included an inflow of 10,223 from the forces through manpower rehabilitation cases and 1004 directed to farming from other industries. Jhe net increase in manpower for farms was thus over 10,000. "First prioritv in the use of labour and materials has been given to rural housing in a further effort to improve the manpower position Mr Nash said At Februarv 28. 1945, 13.124 men of the total 0f'26.190 category A men held lin industrv were in the farming injdustrv. while 8118 of the total number of single men held. 12.Sfi8, were kept in ''the farming industry. Tt is important 1 ito note that every time a single man '! is held in industry a married man prob- ' ably with two children, must take his ; place in the forces." REASONS FOR CENSUS 1 PROVISIONS OF ACT ; NEARLY TEN YEARS' PERIOD ; (0.C.) HAMILTON, Thursday Reasons for the census being taken 1 this year were given by the acting- , Prime Minister, Mr Nash, during his J address in Frankton tonight. He said i the Finance Act, 1940.' provided that - the census, which should normally have been held in 1941, should be postponed > and that it should be taken in a year s not later than 1945. It was then con- ) tern plated that it might take place in any year between 1941 and 1945. > in order to get back into the ord- " inary swing of' five-yearly censuses it ! was' provided that the next census folt lowing should he taken in 1946. Obviously, it would be foolish and impracticable to have two censuses in consecutive years and the Government would i have'to bring in legislation providing that only one need he taken, said Mr Nash. The last census was held in March, 1936 If that of this year had been held in the autumn, which was the usual time, it would have been nine vears after the last one. Tt was desirable however, to approach as close y as was practicable to the ten-yearly period. On the other hand, if the census had been left until the autumn or ' ]94G it would have been impossible for representation commissions to carry : out their statutory obligations in time ; before the general election. Accordingly. a compromise was effected by requumg J the census to be taken in September. 1945. That gave a nine and n-nalf yearly 1 period , between Censuses, which was 1 near enough to ten years and at the • same time would provide adequate time j;fof the representation commissions. ; FAMILY INCOME 3 fixing a minimum ' (0.C.) HAMILTON, Thursday ' "The Government intends to introi duce legislation providing for a minimum familv income." said the actingI Prime Minister, Mr Nash, when speaking at Frankton tonight. "We must . ensure that every man who is willing * to work receives an income sufficient 1 to meet his own needs and those rrf his familv. The future of New Zealand " is dependent upon family life and the ' Government will ensure that the man ; with a large family does not suffer eco--2 nomic hardship."

FOOD IN GERMANY CROPS BEING SOWN LUNEBERG, May 18 The Allied official policy is that the Germans must feed themselves. Generally, the war has passed so quickly over the rich farmlands of northern Germany that crop sowing is almost normal. When harvest time conies labour will become an urgent need. It is possible that German Army prisoners may be used for field work. German military vehicles will probably he used for transport; German rationing during the war was based on a scale of about 2()fl0 ralorios a day. This has been reduced to a maximum of 1550 calories a dnv, but people doing very heavy work will get 2SOO. Also as part of the task of reorganising Germany, railways are being re stored and Army engineers are helping to clear canals of smashed bridges and concrete. This may take six months or more. PETROL FOR DELIVERIES LONDON, May 16 British housewives can look forward to a gradual restoration of retail deliveries, says the Ministry of War Transport. Last November petrol was allowed for tradesmen delivering greengroceries, meat, and fish, and this privilege is now extended to all tradespeople except those selling bread and milk.