The Progressive North

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 886, 1 February 1930, Page 33

The Progressive North

Opportunities For Development

Foil years now the slogan “Go North young man” has been used by a strong sec.ion of New Zealanders, who wish to see greater encouragement given to the young man desirous of taking up farming as a profitable life job. Events of recent years are proving that there is much justification for the slogan. There are, in fact, few districts which offer greater opportunities for the young man who is prepared to work.

No part o£ New Zealand has registered greater progress over the past 1 live years than the North. With the increasing use ot fertilisers and the application of improved farming methods new production records have income commonplace, and serve as fresh Incentive to greater progress in ' the future. In isolated instances ! throughout the whole Northern Peninsula individual effort is proving that in practically no part is the expression, "Hungry North,” Justified; there is ample evidence to support the contention that there are few, if any, parts of New Zealand which offer better chances for the young man desirous of taking up farming as a life job. "It a young man is prepared to work he can progress sufficiently in ten years to enable him to sit back for he rest of his life,” stated a North Auckland farmer to the writer recently. There is much in this statement. Land in the North is comparatively cheap, anti it is only within the last five to ten years that its true worth has been realised. Further, It is mostly cup up itp.o small holdiugs which allow for the greatest ratio of development anti production per acre. They are little more than one-man farms, the income from which depends on the energy and farming ability of the occupier. The average size of North Auckland farms at 214.5 acres is the lowest in the Dominion. The history of the Kaipara Co-opera-tive Dairy Company offers a striking example of the progress which has been made in the North in recent years. Drawing cream from over a wide area, this company started operations about 18 years ago with an annual output of little more than 109 tons. Today it puts through over double its earlier annual output during its best mouths. Last year it manufactured slightly over 1,500 tons of butter and paid out. to its suppliers a price per pound of butter-fat just a fraction short of the highest average

pay-out for the Dominion. This season It is expected that fresh production records will be created with over 1.800 tons of butter. Herd testing plays a big part in the building up of the herds and the quality of the company's butter is very high. Speaking to the writer on the development of the district in recent years. Mr. H. Addyman, manager of the Kaipara Dairy Company, stated that much of the increase was due to improved farming methods and the increasing use of fertilisers. His company alone put through several thousand ton 3 of manure last year on account of suppliers. Further contradiction to the misnomer. “Hungry North,” was given at the Helensville Show held this week, where the high standard ot the entries showed that thtt country was capable of producing and holding some of the best quality stock in the province. A feature ot the entries was the fact that much of the best quality stock came off land which a few years ago was neglected as waste gum country. Apart, from dairying, progress is also being shown in the production of fat lambs and beef, each year fresh records are being made in respect to this branch of farming. Today progress is registered in every part of the North, and there i 3 ample indication that production in every branch of farming there will be more than doubled over the next decade. The young man in search of country from which to make a profitable living could do much worse than take notice of the advice to “Go North.”

A Russian research worker, Lavinor, recently tried several foods as supplements to grass of average quality, and found that their effectiveness was in the order —millet, oats, linseed cake, bran and barley. It may be stressed that the first and second places were taken by cereals. Eckles in America decided that the feeding of cereals to cows in addition to their grazing ration paid in the long run because the cows kept up their yitdds better during the back end of the season.