PROPOSED LAND COUNCIL

Southland Times, Issue 24181, 18 July 1940, Page 8

PROPOSED LAND COUNCIL

SUGGESTION MADE BY COMMISSION REPORT ON SHEEPFARMING INDUSTRY (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 17. The report of the Sheep Farming Industry Commission, which was presented in the House of Representatives today, states that the sheep farmer relies on export trade for 86 per cent, of his gross income, and it suggests the appointment of a land utilization council consisting of one representative from the Lands and Survey Department, the State Advances Corporation, the Treasury and the Department of Agriculture, and land utilization committees set up by the council in each district.

Both council and committees should have power to co-opt the services of technical or scientific officers and others with special knowledge of the particular localities or problems, and their functions should be the classification of deteriorated lands and advising the Government in the use of land and the financial provisions that should be made.

Evidence which the commission heard, the report states, showed that among the means to improve sheep farming efficiency which are not being fully exploited were: (1) Better feeding of stock; (2) more general use of seed of good germination and purity and of high-class strain suited to the purpose; (3) wider application of the results of fleece-testing work which is in progress; (4) more general application of suitable fertilizers as top-dressing on pastures which are of a suitable nature; (5) more effective use of suitable cattle as a means of pasture improvement and pasture maintenance. The main essential cause of the sheep farming industry suffering from inadequate and inefficient labour was found by the commission to be that the reward in sheep farming compared unfavourably with that of labour in other industries competing in the labour market.

A very important means of improving the position was the provision of suitable houses for workers on sheep farms, and' the Government was also recommended to give consideration to the organization, transfer and training of the necessary labour. The stabilization of farming revenues in relation to farming costs was also suggested as a remedy of the financial difficulties of farmers with limited capital or small equities. The commission also suggested that a special fqxtd be provided by the State Advances Corporation to provide loans to repay private mortgages in certain cases subject to certain conditions. Discussing control of the rabbit pest, the commission reports that control work should be solely rabbit eradication without consideration of any monetary returns, and to obtain this an extension of State control to rabbitskins

was advisable; sales should either be the monopoly of the State or the rabbit boards.