GRAIN STATISTICS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14522, 18 August 1911, Page 2

GRAIN STATISTICS.

MR CRAIGIE SAYS THEY ARE USELESS.

From our Special Correspondent WELLINGTON, Aug. 17. The Minister of Agriculture, replying to Mr- Craigie's question as to the agricultural statistics, stated that the Government had the matter under consideration, and hoped to obtain the views of the A. and P. Associations thereon.

Mr Craigie, speaking in the House, | said this was the third time he had asked the question, and he got pretty well the same answer every time to the effect that " the matter was under consideration." There had been no reliable grain statistics for the last two years, and last year they were told that the amount v of wheat grown in the Dominion was about 300,000 acres. He looked upon that answer as mere guesswork, and as misleading, because in his district, which was a large agricultural one, no statistics had been • taken up at all. Up to 1908 the old method had been for enumerators to go round, distribute schedules, and call for them again in two or three weeks, and to see that the forms were properly filled up. Under that sysI tem they had a fair estimate of the acreage under different crops. Sinco then, under the retrenchment policy that had been discontinued, and there were now no correct statistics of the I amount of grain grown in the Dominion. He looked upon it as a deI sirable national work. It was necessary for farmers and for grain merchants to know the quantity of grain, more especially of wheat and oats, in the country. This year they had exported about a million and a half ! bushels, and he saw from a telegram from Timaxu that 20,000 sacks had been sent out of the country this week. Ho would not be surprised if the result this year was that they had overshipped, and would later on have to bring some of the grain back, which meant dearer wheat, dearer flour, and _ dearer bread. He hoped the Minister would arrange a method under which the returns would be taken correctly, because it was important to know the acreage of wheat. The returns should be taken in November or December, and when the acreage of grain sown was ascertained an approximate estimate of yield could be arrived at.

Mr Mackenzie promised that steps would be taken to remedy any defects in the method of taking the statistics.

A new industry is on the eve of inception in New Zealand. After carrying out a series of careful investigations in the United States'of America, Mr J. W. Ellis, a prominent New Zealand timber merchant, is introducing into the country a complete plant for cutting veneers. He has applied to the Auckland Land Board for some COO acres of timber in the Piopiotia survey district, near Taumarumui, and if his application goes through will oommence operations at the place mentioned. The veneer timber is useful in many ways, and the methed of cutting it in thin sheets round the log shows up the beauty of the grain well. It has \ been found that all New Zealand wood is capable of treatment by this process, , and no doubt the result of the experi--1 ment will he eagerly looked forward to by those interested in the timber industry.