SEED-TESTING STATION

Southland Times, Issue 23182, 24 April 1937, Page 8

SEED-TESTING STATION

establishment in SOUTHLAND MOVE BY FARMERS’ UNION EXECUTIVE A strong plea for the establishment of a seed-testing station in Southland was made at the monthly meeting yesterday of the Southland Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union by its president (Mr G. A. Hamilton). The. North Island was well served by research and testing stations, he said, but Otago and Southland had been neglected. If the establishment of a station meant an improvement or increase of only one per cent., the benefits would be tremendous, and he thought the time was opportune to approach the Minister of Agriculture and urge upon him the necessity to the progress of the province of an adequate service. “There are a number of stations in the North Island subsidized by the Government;” Mr Hamilton said, but we have nothing in Southland or Otago. Conditions at Lincoln are quite different from those farther south, ana the college there is not a great deal of use to us. We would be wise to take action today, while money is being spent freely. The expense would not be heavy—not like asking for £16,000 to build a railway bridge that will give no return. If a station in Southland were to result in only one per cent, improvement, it would be very well worth while. “Southland is one of the greatest seed-producing provinces in New Zealand,” he continued. “We have taxed our wool, 6d a bale, but we are spending practically nothing on the seeds which produce our wool. A strain of seed improved one per 'cent, would mean perhaps hundreds of thousands to Southland and Otago. Take fescue, for example. It is the smallest Quantity of seed exported from Southland. Yet an improvement of one per cent, would mean £3OOO a year more to the province.” Mr Hamilton developed this point to include the value to root crops. “If research and testing could reduce club-root by only five per cent.,” he said, “that would mean a tremendous benefit to the province. Expense No Objection The suggestion had been put forward before but it had been refused on the grounds of expense, he said. There was no money available. “Expense does not seem to be a big consideration at present,” he went on, “and this would be a valuable and productive work. Most of the cost would be in labour.” The Winton Experimental Farm was the only institution of its type in Southland and even it was run mostly by volunteer farmers. “The benefits do not need emphasis,’ he added. “Southland is sending away 3,000,000 lambs a year. What would an improvement of only one per cent, mean?” He moved that the union urge the Government to establish a seed-testing and research station in Southland.

Mr J. J. Crampton said the Government was approached three years ago with this request, but the reply then was that there was no money to spare. One of the reasons for inviting the Minister of Agriculture to Southland was to discuss with him research work. “A fair amount is being done at Winton,” Mr Crampton said, “but the finance is the big difficulty since the Government subsidy was reduced from £3OO a year to £lOO. The South Island has had a bad spin as far as research work in seeds and roots are concerned, and we are entitled to something better at this end of >the country.” The motion was carried, and the secretary was instructed to forward it to the Minister.