The Daily News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1927. A BRIGHTER OUTLOOK.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1927, Page 6

The Daily News THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1927. A BRIGHTER OUTLOOK.

The report from London in regard to the first of the new series of wool sales, and the increase already manifested in the output of dairy produce give support to ,thc opinion, which is now being more generally expressed, that . New Zealand has reached the bottom of the depression which has been evident for some time. Not only is the output of dairy produce increasing, hut the price it will obtain in Great Britain seems likely to show’ an improvement over last year. Sales have already been made for the output up to December next which will assure a fair return to the suppliers, and if the weather is in any way 7 propitious Taranaki should/ experience a “bumper” season. Moreover, a good deal of the land held at boom-time prices has been stabilised at something more approaching its productive value, while top-dressing of pastures, testing of herds, and improved methods of husbandry are becoming much more general. It is to this recognition by farmers of the true position as regards the dairy industry, and their great efforts to produce more ■ and with lower cost, that the return to prosperity will be due, rather than to any phenomenal rise in the price obtained for our produce in London. This is not likely to happen. Conditions in Great Britain, although slowly improving, are still very far from buoyant. Responsible men in that country are astonished at the gravity with which the temporary set-back in this Dominion has been regarded by some of its citizens. They say that compared with conditions in England this country’ does • not know what depression really’’ is. Whether this view is correct or not, it is quite certain that the consumers of our produce will desire to buy it at as low a price as they can, and the lower the price

the greater the demand will be. If many of the politically created burdens which farmers are now carrying could be wiped out there would be an early reduction in the cost of production. If, fo instance, the awards of an Arbi tration Court that, obviously, ean know little of the practical side of farming, were replaced by a system of payment in accordance with the value of the work done; if Customs duties were removed from imports which are essential to the farmer, and if easier methods of finance were made available, farmers would be able to afford to apply the labour and material necessary to bring their farms to a much higher degree of production. This, would render possible further sub-division of dairying land, and with an increased population of producers incalculable benefit to the province would assuredly follow. Not only would cheapened costs affect the country held for dairying at present. If funds for ‘labour, fencing, and top-dressing were available, a large proportion of the “deteriorated lands” problem would cease to exist, because such lands would once more be brought into profitable use. The increase in production is evidence that in Taranaki the farmer is doing what he ean to bring about better days. In the last six of the postwar years there have been violent fluctuations in the prices obtained for our staple exports. Butter-fat fell from a price of over 2/- per lb. in 1920 to B|d in 1922. Beef and mutton all suffered a big drop in value lit 1921, and though mutton has somewhat, exports of beef are still diminishing. "W 001, which dropped to 4d per lb. in 1921, made a phenomenal recovery’ three years later, only to fall again. Now, however, the prices of all our products appear to have more or less reached stability 7 . Land is not likely to fall much further, and at presentday prices it ean be made to pay, but only by the really ’well-train-ed and efficient farmer, who, because he possesses these qualifications, will also not be afraid of hard work. All things considered, while the need for effort and for economy is as pressing as ever, prospects are distinctly brighter than they have been in Taranaki for the past year or two. Unless some untoward circumstances intervene, there is justification for the belief that the season that has just commenced should bring with it a considerable increase in the contentment and prosperity’ of the communitv.