PIG PRODUCTION IN SOUTHLAND

Southland Times, Issue 25564, 6 January 1945, Page 2

PIG PRODUCTION IN SOUTHLAND

SEPARATE COUNCIL TO BE FORMED The formation of a separate pig council for the Southland province was decided upon at a meeting of pig producers in the U.F.S. Hall yesterday. It was also decided to retain the services of Mr M. Roderique as supervisor of pig production in the province. The convener of the meeting, Mr Gibson Smith, was chairman. Messrs Gibson Smith (chairman), W. Ayson, A. G. H. Smith, J. A. Campbell, T. Johnson, P. A. Pearce, D. Rutledge and W. R. Harris were appointed to a committee set up to prepare a report on the situation, which would form the basis of future discussions with the present Otago and Southland Council and the national council. The potential of Southland as a pig producing province far exceeded that of Otago and he considered that they should go ahead with the formation of a separate council, said Mr Gibson Smith. It had been admitted by the Otago council that their area was too large. There was more bacon produced in Southland than in Otago, but Southland had only one representative on a council of 12. He considered that in the near future Southland’s total production would equal that of Otago. If the producers did not retain Mr Roderique and went back to the old arrangement of having only one supervisor for the whole area, their expansion would be retarded. They had all seen what Mr Roderique had accomplished in the short period of two years. He had encouraged the establishment of modern piggeries and had promoted the use of waste from dairy factories. He was satisfied that there was too much work in the two provinces for one man. Mr Smith then outlined the aims and objects of a pig council. Mr Roderique, who has been acting as supervisor of pig production in Otago and Southland for the last two years, supported the proposal to set up a separate council. In his opinion, he said, they should ask for 50 per cent of the funds necessary for running the council and for 50 per cent of the assets. He considered that he could give the producers a far better service if his work were confined to Southland. The opinion that the producers would be wiser to form more pig clubs in the province, so that they would obtain better representation on the present Otago and Southland Pig Council, was expressed by one producer. He considcred that this was preferable to forming a separate council. Mr W. R. Harris, representing the Young Farmers’- Clubs, said that there were great possibilities in the future of the pig industry in Southland. He thought that those present should work for the formation of a separate council in Southland.