THE PRIMARY INDUSTRIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3768, 1 June 1926, Page 12

THE PRIMARY INDUSTRIES.

HON. MR M’LEOD’S VIEWS. TAUM ARUNUI, May 25. The Minister of Lands, at a complimentary banquet lest night to the Prime Minister and himself, spoke of the drift of population to the towns. He believed that for many years the country would have to depend on the great primary industries, but an endeavour would nave to be made to link these up with secondary industries. Much of the land difficulty was caused by the sudden jumping about of exceptional values. He believed thst the country had wonderful recuperative powers, but the city men must take greater interest in the primary producers than they did to-day, and endeavonr to help in stopping the drift to the towns. In dealing with the question of deteriorated lands, the Minister said the Government before advancing money must Snd out if it was going to,do any good. He

beiieved it would be better to go along carefully and get the opinions of expert farmers.

The Minister of Agriculture was going deeply into the matter of the revaluation of soldiers’ farms. Farmers were beginnine to realise the value of the officers of tnc Agriculture Department, and knew that if they had followed their advice before, then it would have been better for them.