WHEAT ACREAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24850, 25 February 1942, Page 4

WHEAT ACREAGE

APPEAL FOR INCREASE SERIOUSNESS OF POSITION FARMERS PLEDGE SUPPORT "Never in the history of New Zealand has there been such a need for this country to be self-supporting in regard to wheal and flour." said Mr R. B. Tennent, Director of Primary Production, in an address to representatives of farming organisations last night, when he made a special appeal that a larger acreage of wheat should be grown in the Dominion in the coming season. "The wheat position is most serious," Mr Tennent said. "In spite of the appeals made last year for increased sowing of wheat, only 258,000 acres were sown. This 'was '42,000 acres short of the Dominion's estimated requirements, for to be self-supporting New Zealand must grow 300,000 acres per annum. In the 1891-1892 season this .country grew over 400,000 acres, and.' coming nearer the present time, in 1933 we grew over 300,000 acres, and in 1921-22, about 350,000 acres. The Duty of Farmers "And now in the middle of the worst war in our history, when we are fighting for our very lives, when shipping is short, and the possibility is that it may be definitely shorter, we can grow only 258,000 acres of wheat. It is the duty of farmers to see that.the full acreage of 300,000 acres is grown so that this country will get the wheat and flour it requires. I plead with the farmers of Otago and Southland to grow more wheat, even at some sacrifice to themselves. "The Government is very much alarmed at ihe position," Mr Tennent said. "The Minister of Agriculture, Mr: J. G. Barclay, asked me to tell you to-night that he will guarantee that if labour is required for the sowing of crops it will be found, and that if it is required for the harvesting of wheat it will be forthcoming. The oil fuel controller will give all the petrol that is necessary for the sowing and harvesting of crops. " We must all forget our differences." Mr Tennent said, "for there is no room for. strife among parties to-day. We must all pull together, for we are all New Zealanders fighting and working for New Zealand." Ministerial Assurances

"We cannot lose sight of the fact that it was promised that men would be released to harvest the crops," Mr A.< C. Leary (chairman) said, "and I know of acres and acres of crops that are lying cut and wasting through a lack of labour. I think the whole trouble is a lack of co-ordination between Government departments ■(•' Hear, hear.') I don't know whether we - are prepared to accept the Minister's assurances." Mr Tennent said that five minutes before he came to the meeting he had been speaking to the Minister, who was very upset over an article that appeared in the Otago Daily Times about a shortage of labour for harvesting crops in North Otago brought about through a Jack of coordination of Government departments. Since the Minister had made a statement in Ashburton that labour would be made available, no request for labour had not been met. A considerable amount of labour had been obtained, and men had been held up from going into camp to do harvesting. Mr A. C. Cameron said that farmers did not know that they could appeal direct to the army or "the Minister for the release of men for harvesting;;and the trouble was that the slow machinery of appealing was at fault. Mr Downes Roberts (Middlemarch) said that Ministers made statements, but they did not issue instructions to departmental heads. He suggested that the Department of Agriculture should take over the control of petrol for farmers. He also referred to the effect of the impressment of farmers' trucks, and mentioned the case of one truck which had been taken from a farmer who required it, and was now at a northern camp with its tyres flat and the grass growing up through its wheels. Resolutions Carried After a great deal of discussion, the following resolutions, moved by Mr A. C. Cameron, were carried: " That this meeting, representative of farmer organisations in this province, pledges itself to do all it can to produce the cheese, wheat, linen flrfx, and other crops required from this province for the war effort. The meeting stresses the importance of ironing out the many difficulties which have resulted' in a shortage of oil fuel and man-power so necessary to ensure production and successful harvesting. This meeting believes that before 100 per cent, co-operation can be gained, the farmers will have to be reassured on this point, and, as regards oil.fuel, sub-district controllers instructed accordingly. "This meeting is also of the opinion that the utmost publicity must be given to the fact that farm labour is really considered, of national importance. At the moment many young fellows in country districts feel that their place is in the army and have little incentive to remain at their posts in the country." * On the motion of Mr Roberts, it was resolved that the meeting should strongly recommend that men receiving the age benefit should be allowed to earn as much money as they liked doing farm work without it affecting the amount of their benefit.