PROBLEM FOR FARMERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14054, 26 July 1916, Page 7

PROBLEM FOR FARMERS.

HOW TO INCREASE PRODUCTION". (Special to the Herald.) WELLINGTON, last night. "How then are we to increase the production ?" asked Sir' ( Janies Wilson m the course of his address to the Farmers' Union, and he continued : Someone lately called the farmers of New Zealand "a lazy lot of lumps" ; figures are, however, against him .m proof of his assertion ; but we will let that pass. It is said that "nothing is denied to well directed labor and nothing is accomplished without it." For the present there is much more need of increasing the output from the land m occupation than there is for (further settlement. That will come' m due time; We want "well directed labor" on the land if we are to turn put more produce. First, it is clear that the country must be made as attractive as possible. Maw is a gregarious animal and does not require much encouragement to remain m towns ; yet those who love the country and the life there, wonder what attraction there is m town life, which holds them m its grip. It may be conducive to sharpening the wits to live surrounded by a crowd ; but it certainly is not conducive to thought or production. I think we are all awakening' to the fact that if we wish people to remain m the country we must interest them m country pursuits and life, whilti they are young. Wnen I look back upon the time the Farmers' Union first took up the subject oC rural education, and vocational training, about 1902, and note the advance which has been made 1 , I think it is something to be proud of that the union has assisted m that progress. In an admirable address by Mr Geo. Hogben, before the Council o): Education (which should be read by you all), he says : "Nature study is a compulsory ' subject for all schools m the public schools syllabus ;" then lie goes on: "In the upper classes of the schools — that is for children of 11 to 14 years of aagine — m all the countiy schools (and m many cases town schools) there should be iaai extension of this nature study m the form of a course of elementary agriculture and school gardens m which the practical work is carvied out. In 1913 over a thousand schools (1009) La the Dominion provided this course." Mr Brown, who was at one time the Agricultural Instructor under the South Canterbury Education Board, and is now- Director of Experimental Farming, m a recent address to the Council off Agriculture, said that: "No educational; 'system was considered now complete that did not take advantage of the gardens; the trees, the paddocks, the animals, - and crops m the district surrounding the school," and he pleaded for co-operation, between the Education Department and the Agricultural Department to obtain fullest advantage of their united teaching. It has been recently arranged at Ashburton, with ths governors of the ' High School, that a reserve belonging to them should be worked by the Agricultural Department, but that the boys under a science master of the High School should have plots on the same ground, worked m conjunction with. the. Agricultural Department. Muoh, however, remains to be done, and we have only touched the fringe of vocational education. Mr Hogben concludes his paper with iihe following remark: "Our chief wants, m short, are more enthusiasm (for Agricultural Education on the part of the farmers themselves and adequate provision for proper college training for the experts, both teachers and directors." The union has ever had an ideal for better farming and better living for all engaged on the farmi, and mow vocational education. Let us all continue to strive for such and help forward the ideal elf so educating the young people m the country as to makci -life 'm the* country more attractive and better understood. Iwould not be doing justice to the Education Boards of the" Dominion were I not to say that all are desirous of doing what they can m t this direction, and some have been entjhusiast'c m furthering our objective^>;,_ In Taranaki the farmers- there are "So" impressed by the necessity of working m conjunction with the boards that they have subscribed I think £1000 to assist m the gpod work, and it is well spent money,' which will be j'epaid a hundred-fold, even m monetary, advantage to themselves. I hope their example will be followed m. all th school districts. Probably it would be better to do this through the local bodies, out of rates, as it would ensure a continuous* payment instead d£ relying upon voluntary contributions. The county councils have the power to contribute out of their funds for the purpose m the district m which they reside. Indeed the Counties Act provides m section 193:-^ "The council may from time to time apply any portion of the said county fund for any of the- following purposes : "(afThe establishment and maintenance of agricultural schools or model jfarms, the acquisition of land and construction or acquisition of all necessary buildings, implements of all sorts, and of live stock io be used for or m connection therewith. "(2) For the purposes of this section the council may acquire land as for a public works under. 'The Public Works Act, 1908.'" There is a chance for on {enterprising county council to start a demonstration or experimental farm of their own — which will be the; first? I have often thought d! attempting to try and get several counties to jam for this purpose, but I was afraid to tackle it. Many of the local bodies, both municipal and 1 county, already assist the funds of.various experimental plots m their immediate neighborhood m, connection with the technical schools. The progress m rural education, while helpful, is not sufficient to immediately restore the lost wealth to tlie country. It is the present day farmer who must do that. Talking of wheat growing, one labor member was reported to have said that it was the duty of the Government to force the lamer to grow wheat. What a curious, commentary on, a member's knowledge ! It is a fact which has been proved that with wheat at ss, it takes from 23 to 25 bushels to pay expenses. Any tiling xwder that is grown at a loss to the farmer. Wealth, the creation of which benefits everyone, is the difference between, the cost of growing anything and sale— the profit, m fact. The country is poorer if the faiv mer loses by the transaction. For the moment the people may. get cheaper flour ) but the land has had so much taken (from it of its stored wealth, which wi}l cost money to replace, and if the crop has not paid to grow, the farmer must necessarily restore it from his capital or, which is much the same thing, from his profits on other crops, if there are any. ' ,- . _ They may pass as many Acts of Parliament as they like, but they will not get farmers to grow wheat at a loss! It is infinitely better to buy wheat from Australia, where, it can be grown cheaper, and turn the land here to more profitable use. '..''■