INCREASED FARM PRODUCTION

Southland Times, Issue 23954, 21 October 1939, Page 15

INCREASED FARM PRODUCTION

EMERGENCY MEASURES SETTING UP OF DISTRICT COUNCILS The maintenance and, when practicable, the expansion of primary production in New Zealand is the objective of a movement begun by the Government to form district councils and to set up special sub-committees throughout Naw Zealand. The plans were outlined by Mr A. Stewart, of the Department of Agriculture, at a meeting yesterday attended by Messrs W. T. Carswell (Seed Merchants’ Association), W. J. A. McGregor (Sheep Owners’ Federation), W.- R. Harris (Young Farmers’ Clubs), Donaldson (placement officer), R. Kennedy (Agricultural and Pastoral Association) and A. L. Adamson (secretary of .the Southland provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union). The list of district councils under the scheme is as follows:—South Island: Invercargill, Dunedin, Oamaru, Timaru, Christchurch, Blenheim, Nelson, Greymouth, Alexandra and Ashburton. North Island: Palmerston North, Masterton, Wanganui, Hawera, New Plymouth, Dannevirke, Hastings, Gisborne, Hamilton, Tauranga, Auckland, Whangarei, Whakatane, Te Kuiti. Mr Stewart said the Minister of Agriculture would communicate with the head officers of all Dominion organizations connected with agriculture, including the New Zealand Workers’ Union, inviting them to place the services Of their local organizations at the service of the National Council of Primary Production for all matters related to the maintenance and Increase of farm production, availability and distribution of supplies, and problems connected with labour and management of farms arising from war conditions, and any other matters related to their particular interest.

To secure the co-ordinated functioning of these organizations, it was suggested that co-ordination was desirable at the centres named of all interested bodies, including local organizations which had no corresponding Dominion organization, and that they be invited to appoint a council for this purpose. On each district council there would be a representative of each of the chief agricultural organizations in the district, including the New Zealand Workers’ Union, nominated by each of the organizations within he district. In the case of the agricultural and pastoral societies and other organizations constituted in a similar manner, the society centred in the district where a council was to be set up, would-be charged with the responsibility of securing one representative for the council. The appropriate senior Agricultural Department officer in the district would be the convener and the Placement Officer of the Department of Labour would be an ex-officio member for all matters connected with farm labour. The convener would convene the council at the request of the National Council or of any member body, or might do so on his own initiative. FUNCTIONS OF COMMITTEES The function of co-ordinating committees would be to co-ordinate the activities of the various local organizations where these activities were of a general nature; to maintain contact with the various, organizations, and where these failed to carry out efficiently the duties delegated to them by the “atiorial Council, or where they might need help in carrying out such duties, take such action as might be required, or advise the National Council of the necessity for further action; to set up a Labour Sub-Committee to co-ordinate the work of all the other bodies on farm labour problems, and where necessary to act on its .own initiative or under instructions from the National Council; from time to time to recommend either to the local farming organizations, or to such of them as might be interested, or to the National Council, the setting up of special sub-committees or other temporary organizations to deal with special problems. District Councils would arrange,’as considered necessary, for the carrying out of the secretarial duties involved.

Some of the members present had already been nominated pro tern as the representatives of 'heir respective organizations on the district council, and these appointments will probably be confirmed later. Mr Adamson was appointed secretary. Messrs E. A. Cameron (president of the Southland provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union), Donaldson and Douglas were appointed a farm labour committee.