LAND FOR TREES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26479, 5 June 1947, Page 8

LAND FOR TREES

FOOD-GROWING AREAS ACQUIRED FARMERS EXPRESS CONCERN Concern was expressed by the annual conference of Federated Farmers of Otago yesterday that farm lands in certain localities were being purchased by the Government for afforestation when such lands had been, and cpuld still be, producing much-needed food. It was recommended that action should be taken to' ensure that no land be planted in trees when it was suitable.* or by improved farming methods could be made suitable, for food production.

“What about the taking of agricultural land for building purposes?” asked Mr J. Andrew. There was a scheme to use valuable farming land on the Taieri for a large block of houses when there was plenty of other land available, and which was not much good for anything else apart from buildings.

In the event of the demands of the Federation of Labour for an extra £ 1 a week for all workers being granted m full or in part, the conference decided to request its Dominion executive to press . immediately for an increase in the price of all farm produce to compensate the farmer not only for the increased cost of production, but also for the increased cost of living caused by the general increase m wages. Unanimously supporting another remit, the conference decided to request its Dominion executive to demand that a balance-sheet be produced each year by the Government showing returns of all farmers’ produce sold by the Government and all sums levied on farm produce The conference insisted that all money held in the dairy and meat stabilisation accounts should be regarded as the absolute property of the meat and dairy producers, and that control of the funds should be handed over unreservedly to the Meat and Dairy Boards.