INCREASING PRODUCTION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16946, 30 January 1926, Page 7

INCREASING PRODUCTION.

NEW ZEALAND’S NEED. TO'PDRESSING EFFECTIVE. MR J. S. JESSEP’* VIEWS. (Special to (lie Herald.) WAIROA, this day. “It is my firm belief that increased production, which is so necessary to the welfare of New Zealand at the present time, can be brought about only bhrobgli topdressing tho pastures,” declared Mr J. S. Jessep, a prominent farmer of this district, and a member of the Meat Board. “While it is true that there is a certain amount of undeveloped) country in the Dominion," he added, “it is also apparent that the increase in production must come mainly from the'improvement of the permanent pastures." In this respect, Mr Jessep can well be regarded! as an authority, for in addition to having had a lifetime’s experience of farming work, he has always advocated topdreasing, and has been one of its most consistent users. During rhe past two years he has greatly improved one of his properties solely through the judicious use of fertilisers. EXPERIENCE. ELSEWHERE. Mr Jessep said that in Southland, from which district he came, topdressing was carried out to a greater extent than in most parts of New Zealand, and a gratifying increase had always followed! its consistent use. It. anight be said that a considerable percentage of the occupied land! on the East, Coast was not producing ns much as it should, and until the practice of topdressing became more general it could not be expected liiat any great increase in production would be experienced. There was n vast amount, of the country at present used solely for pastoral purposes which eventually would have i-o be used for dairying, or else for fattening. When they had decided to build the freezing works at Wairoa they had done so with Ihe intent ion of aiding the (development of the district. The works had passed, and were slill passing through a difficult period, but they hud proved of great assistance to the farmers of the district. They provided a splendid means of disposing of (ha fat lambs, and if farmers continued to develop their land and in--ercase their output the works would have achieved their object. REVERTED LANDS. It was a regrettable fact that there were many thousands of acres of reverted lands in various parts of the district. and within a reasonable distance of Wairoa t hem were .fully 60,0C0 acres which had seriously gone back during the past ten years. The greater part of this land belonged 1 to the Grown, and although infested with blackberry and generally m a neglected slate, it was capable of development. The East Const was one of the few carts of New Zealand! Where areas • f hand suitable tor closer settlement, were still available, and it was to be hoped that the Government would carefully consider the question of the development of those lands. Closer settlement combined with tho judicious use of fertilisers would give the greatest possible increase in production, and it behoved the Government to give Consideration to the claims of the producers for the subdivision of land.