FARMING IN RUSSIA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19333, 25 May 1937, Page 13

FARMING IN RUSSIA

RAPID STRIDES WIADE COLLECTIVISATION PLAN ENGINEER’S IMPRESSIONS Farming conditions in Russia, and the rapid strides being made under the collective, farming scheme lo increase the numbers of live stock, and particularly sheep, were discussed by ..Mr. F. Lee, who arrived at Auckland on Sunday from London by the Renniera. Mr. Lee has been in Russia during the last 12 months, engaged, under the supervision of the .Commissariat of Agriculture, in installing a great number of sheenshearing machines in the collective farms of the Moscow region. “Under the new economic policy that followed the civil war in Russia/-’ said Mr. Lee. “collectivisation of farms developed to such an extent that it met with much resistance from the kulak class, or capitalist farmers. During 1529 and 1930 stock was slaughtered in wholesale fashion by kulaks, and since then every effort has been made, with an amazing measure of success, to build up stocks. Sheep-breeding is receiving increasing attention, and the industry must develop into a powerful force before long.” Mr. Lee was interested to learn of tho recent delegation from Russia to inspect sheep in New Zealand with a view to selecting suitable types for breeding in Russia, lie-commented upon the desirability of trade relations in this respect being developed between New Zealand and Russia, and said that it could only result in mutual benefits to the peoples of both countries. World’s Greatest Scheme Collective fanning represented the greatest scheme of farming in the world, continued Mr. Lee. Whole villages were laid out in the centre of huge tracts of land, which were cultivated by farmers who owned the land in perpetuity and without any payment. The income from the farms was divided among the men working them according to the number of working days they wore engaged. Apart from that, they were able to supplement their earnings from small plots on which their homes were situated by raising poultry and pigs, growing vegetables and utilising laud to other advantage. “The programme has developed to such an extent- that there are now only about 2 per cent of farmers in the Soviet Union, representing about 1,000.000 peasants, who are not engaged in collective or State farming,” said Mr. Lee. “The majority arc collective tanners who benefit bv sharing 4CO.CCO tractors and other scientific devices which the individual farmer is unable to afford. Co-operation to the farmer means greater prosperity.” People Prosperous

Giving some of his general impressions of Russia, Mr. Lee said that the people were prosperous. Their slogan, 1 Life must be more happy, life must be more joyous,” was an actual fact, at the present. Shops were crowded with buyers, and there was no lack of money to buy goods, apart, from mere necessiThe idea prevalent in the minds of many about starving Russians and the repressed conditions under which they live was “absolute nonsense.” “Tbore is no unemployment in Russia,’ Mr. Lee added. “Having laid a sound basis for her heavy industries, Russia is now producing the whole of her own consumers’ needs.”