PASTORAL PRODUCTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23858, 12 July 1939, Page 8

PASTORAL PRODUCTION

ERRONEOUS PROPAGANDA CESSATION URGED BY MINISTER STATISTICAL SURVEY OF POSITION (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 11. The declaration that it was time that erroneous propaganda regarding pastoral production in New Zealand ceased was made by the Minister of Agriculture (Mr W. Lee Martin), opening the annual conference of the Farmers’ Union. The Minister quoted statistics with the object of showing that the position was by no means as serous as had been suggested. There was no evidence to prove that the total production was showing any permanent decline. The sheep flocks as at April 30 showed a decrease of over 500,000. and editorials had been written stating that sheep production was going down. That was not correct. There was a bad fattening season in 1938, and a large number of animals which normally would have been slaughtered before the end of April was carried

forward to the 1939 season. This year, to April 30, there were killed 21,000 tons more mutton and lamb thap for the corresponding period last yeah; and, making allowance for the 500,000 sheep drop as representing 12,000 tons, the Dominion actually produced 9000 tons more meat last year than in the previous year. The Real Test But the real test, the Minister said, was the increase or decrease in the number of breeding ewes, and when the final figures were published they would show a substantial increase. In 1937 the wool production was 303.000. in 1938 it was 297.000. in spite of the fact that New Zealand shore 1,000.000 more sheep. The clip, however, was a light one, averaging lib less than the previous year. This year 1,000.000 more sheep were again shorn, and. the clip being moderately heavy, New Zealand produced more wool than ever in its history. Yet inapplicable statistics were used to prove that production was declining. In regard to dairy cows, the Minister said that since 1935 the number had increased by 79,000. Fifty per cent, of the dairy cows were in the two Auckland provinces, and in these there had been no decline, but an increase of 4000. If cows in milk only were taken, the increase had been 11,000. If Taranaki were excepted, a decline had taken place in mainly sheep districts, and of that drop 20,000 took place the year before the Government came into office. As an offset to the decrease in dairy cows, there had been an increase of 145,000 beef cows and 2,000,000 breeding ewes, showing clearly that in these districts the farmers had gone back to their usual farming practice. Many of them milked cows to help them through the slump time. Department’s Expenditure The Minister also dealt with what the department was incurring in expenditure. Anyone seeing the expenditure of the past year. £1,078,000. would, he said, fly fc3 the conclusion that it was spent by the department, but the real position was that £600,000 was paid in subsidies, for free carriage of lime, the reduction of freight on fertiliser and agricultural products, and subsidies on fruit being the main items. In addition. £IOO,OOO was paid out under the statutes for the maintenance of agricultural colleges, compensation on diseased stock, and rabbit board subsidies. The Minister said the actual cost of the department was £310,000. Internal difficulties were capable of adjustment, but he was apprehensive of two external factors—restrictive export of commodities to the main market, and the rise of wool substitutes In the textile world alternative markets should be fully explored. In regard to wool the real disturbing feature of the substitutes was the comparative cheapness of their manufacture and the even price maintained during long periods. The Minister said high prices never did the woolgrower any good. His difficulties almost always followed a season or so of abnormally high prices. The Minister appealed for a greater measure of co-operation in future than bad been given in the past.