MINISTER ASKS FOR CO-OPERATION

Southland Times, Issue 23538, 18 June 1938, Page 2

MINISTER ASKS FOR CO-OPERATION

FARMERS AND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, June 16 A desire that the farmers themselves should, as practical men, co-operate as far as possible with the officers of the Department of Agriculture was expressed by the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin), speaking at the opening of a new plant at the factory of the Eas. Tamaki Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd. He said that for many years the officers of the department had been looked upon as inspectors and as a kind of “nosey parkers. “On my travels I am surprised to find there are so many farmers who do not realize the extent to which the department is influencing the Pomary production of the Dominion, the Minister said. “It is not a spectacular department, but it is playing a very important part in the country s development. The vote of £753,000 to the department last year was the bignest amount ever voted in the history of agriculture in New Zealand and. the whole of this sum is being spent m a hundred and one ways for the purpose of giving service.” However, the experts who were seeking solutions to farming problems could not achieve success without the assistance: and co-operation of those who were engaged in primary production. For many years the departments men were looked upon as inspectors and a kind of “nosy parkers,” but they were now changing all that and they were pointing out that the officers were there as instructors. He was toying to impress upon every representative of the department not to do those things which would irritate the fanner, but to make himself a welcome guest because of the instruction he could give. .