RELATION OF THE STATE TO AGRICULTURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 21

RELATION OF THE STATE TO AGRICULTURE.

The following is the substance of an address which was delivered by Mr Joseph Mosley to the Clutha Branch of the Farmers' Union at Balclutha on the 12th inet.:

The subject of this address is one that personally concerns each man and woman in this Dominion, for it is the from which we obtain our livelihood and to which we must look for the production of the exports that enable us to pay our way. From the very earliest times agriculture has played an important and leading part in the economy of the human race. The most ancient reference we have to agriculture is contained in the Bible, were seasonable advice is given to those who are engaged in the industry "to look well after the state of their flocks and herds, as riches do not endure for ever nor the crown to all generations." Sir Matthew Wallace, one of ■ Scotland's eminent agriculturists, tsayis of agriculture, " that it is more than a business. » It is bound up with the health and strength of a nation, and, like our education, it ie a national affair." Closely interwoven with agriculture and indispensable to the success of those engaged in it is the close settlement of the land under a secure tenure coupled with a progressive and reasonable land and agricultural finance. Unfortunately for this Dominion, the land and labour legislation has so tied up and crippled private enterprise that our

Industrie's languish and our lands remain idle. Hence, while we have a country which for fertility of soil, as well as climate, is unsurpassed in the world, and which could easily maintain a population of ten or fifteen milions of happy, contented, and thriving people, we can only boast after over 60 years of colonisation a population of a little over a million. And in this connection we are not only not attracting those agriculturists from the British Isles, who are leaving in thousands to settle in frigid Canada and' sub-troprcal Australia, but we are not retaining our own young men, who are leaving in scores to settle elsewhere: This results in a loss of productive energy which, if attracted to this country and induced to settle on our lands under a comprehensive land settlement policy aided by a progressive agricultural finance, would easily produce three times as much exportable produce as at present. Compare this country with Denmark. We possess a country oyer seven times as large, besides being vastly superior, both as regards climate and fertility of soil, yet we only produce £20,128,096 of exportable produce, whereas Denmark contains double our population and exports to Great Britain alone £20,000,000 of agricultural produce annually. Why is this so ? There are several reasons. First, Denmark is closely settled on a freehold tenure, 90 per cent, of the farmers being freeholders. Secondly.*. Denmark is not hampered and annoyed by restrictive labour laws, which in this country so retard progress; and thirdly, it has an Agricultural Department which seeks in every possible way to watch over and assist the farmer, . both from a financial and educational point of view. Compare that state of affairs with what exists here. Our Agriculural Department, under'the socalled Liberal Government (which is simply marking time to the tune plaved by the Trades and Labour Councils, while costing this country a large sum of money, is out of touch and sympathy with, the ini dividual farm-er; in fact, it would be difficult to imagine a state of affairs more discordant than that existing between the settler and the Agricultural Department. On the one hand the department seems to exist simply to annoy and harass the settler, who, for his part, looks with suspicion and dread on the department. No good can result from a state of affaur such as this. We want a department which, while being in touch and sympathy with the farmer, would watch over his interests whilst possessing his confidence. How is this to be brought about? By having a board of agriculture elected by tho farmers themselves. I would suggest that the Dominion should be divided into six wards, each farmer in the respective ward to exercise one vote for the election of one of themselves as their represontive on the board, the said board to be elected for, say, six years, so as to give permanency of plan and ideals. After two years one member of the board from the North Island and one from the South Island would retire

by ballot, but be eligible for re-electioi Four years after the election two moi members (from the North and Sout Islands), would retire by ballot; a!.-

eligible for re-election, and at the sixth year the whole board would retire, and a fresh election ensue. By this means the board would be continually in touch with the farmers, as well as ensuring permanency of plan, as it is reasonable to suppose that at least three-fourths of the old members would be returned. The Government could appoint the president of the board in place of the Minister of Agriculture. By this means we would have a board of experts in agriculture which would control everything pertaining thereto. . This would be greatly superior to the present system, which has become simply an autocratic bureau nominally under the Ministers but really not so. Again, the present system has this disadvantage, that it is subject, owing to the popular vote,, to a constant change of Minister, whose services, if he was the ablest agriculturists in the Dominion, would be lost to the country. Besides, it too often happens that the man who is entrusted with the formation of the Executive of the day choses a man to act as Minister of Agrii culture more with a view of assistance to himself than possessing the practical experience needful to enable him to administer his department in the best interests of the agricultural community.