DROUGHT IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 19093, 28 January 1932, Page 6

DROUGHT IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

MANY FARMERS FACE SERIOUS POSITION. VISIT OF MINISTER OF THE CROWN. Parts of South Canterbury are at present parched up, due to drought conditions, and there is practically no feed for stock in these areas. Already over 2000 sheep have been transported to Southland, where there is an abundance of feed, and it is understood that further consignments are going south within the next few days. The position is serious for a number of farmers, and representations have been made to the Government for assistance. In order that a Cabinet Minister might secure first-hand knowledge of conditions in the affected areas, efforts were made by Mr. T. D. BK me tt, M.P. for Temuka, to secure a vish, by the Hon. A. Hamilton, Postmaster-Gbv.^ l^ l while he was in the South Island. Hamilton consented to made a stop in South Canterbury, and he arrived from the south on Tuesday afternoon. Yesterday Mr. Hamilton was taken for a trip extending over approximately 60 miles, the greater portion of the journey being through country on which there was hardly a vestige of grass to be seen. The most barren part was a belt from Washdyke up through the Levels, past Pleasant Point and on to Sutherlands. The district around Totara Valley has also suffered severely, as well as parts of Tycho and Claremont.

The party, which comprised Mr. Hamilton, Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P.. Rev. Clyde Carr, M.P.. for Timaru, Mr. A. M. H. Shirtcliff and Mr. A. Anderson, representing commercial firms, Mr. F. R. Flatman (chairman of directors cf the C.F.C.A.), and Mr. A. Thoreau (secretary of the South Canterbury Farmers’ Union) left Timaru just before 10 a.m., and proceeded to the homestead of Mr. T. B. Garrick (chairman of the Levels County Council) at Totara Valley. An inspection was made of one or two farms which had suffered severely, and Mi*. Hamilton also conferred with farmers to ascertain their viewpoints. The party were the guests of Mr. Garrick at morning tea, after which the matter was fully discussed. In the course of this it was stressed that farmers were not asking for concessions for trading purposes, but were merely asking for concessions where stock had to be removed either by sale or for grazing.

Mr. Hamilton remarked that there was an abundance of green feed in Southland, and possibly some of it could be transported to South Canterbury. Mr. Burnett: “You means newlymade hay.” Mr. Hamilton: “Yes. It would keep for two or three days at least, as it is now baled in the paddock.” Mr. Anderson: “The question is what, it could be bought for in the south.” Green Feed Needed. Mr. Hamilton: “You have the dry stuff here, and it is more the green feed which you require. If you had swede turnips available, they would be the best of the lot. There will be good crops in Southland this year, but they will not be ready for three or four months.” Mr. Flatman: “We are asking for a scheme whereby we can secure concessions. If we get those, w r ays and means will work themselves out.” Mr. Hamilton: “It is no trouble for Southland to take stock.” Mr. Anderson: “It is better for farmers to keep their stock here if possible. Altered conditions are not altogether good for the stock.” Mr. Carr: “I got word away to the Prime Minister about the carrying ;>f feed, and he replied that he had officials investigating, but that was the last I heard.” Mr. Hamilton: “You may have this for a few months yet.” Mr. Shirtcliff: “It is going to be very, very bad if it lasts much longer. If we had rain now, it would make a covering at least. Mr. Anderson: “Instead of half railage each way, would it not be better to get free railage one way?” Mr. Hamilton: “From the Government’s point of view I should think that would be the best thing.” Mr. Anderson: “I know of one man who last year gave away a thousand sheep to a drover.” Mr. Burnett: “Yes, for a tin of tobacco.” (Laughter.) State Assistance. Mr. Burnett said that they were quite justified, as a matter of precedent, in asking for State assistance. The last great drought was in 1915, and the Government then railed fodder from Southland to South Canterbury free of charge. The drought of 1897 was the culmination of four dry summers. Then in 1903, which was a year of bad snowstorms, the Government placed the whole of the railway service at the disposal of snow-bound sheep. Prior to that, the year 1895 was a disastrous one, tremendous losses of sheep being incurred as a result of snowstorms, and it was at that time that the Pastoral Tenants Relief Act was brought into operation. A conference was held with stock and station agents, and they were asked if they were prepared to write off or reduce rent and interest. The stock and station agents had to meet their tenants, and that was the beginning of a new era so far as the back-country farmers were concerned. Mr. Burnett stressed the fact that they were up against a crisis, and pointed out there were many primary producers whose holdings and stock were under security to the Crown, and they were asking that the whole of the resources of the State should be placed at the disposal of these people to save them in the interests of the country. it something was not done, there were 120.000 sheep in the back-country alone which would be lost. He went on to say that a reduction of the railway charges by half was not sufficient to enable farmers to get their stock awaj, and thev would urge free railage for stock and also for fodder. They would further ask for half railway charges for stock bought in the district and being sent ouside. They would ask Mr. Hamilton, having a first-hand connection with the Meat Board, to urge on the Board, the Government and meat companies to come to some arrangement so that third-grade meat could be killed at a special rate, otherwise conversion costs would be so that it would be far better for owners to cut the throats of their sheep and fill up the gullies at the back of their houses, such as was done last year. His opinion was that the position this year would be ten times worse than last year. TVTr. Hamilton had seen part of the drought area but he had not seen the worst of it yet. It was not a question of efficiency or nonefficiency among farmers, for the best of them were in jeopardy, with the drought coming on top of the world paralysis. “We are going to leave it to you as a practical agriculturalist and farmer to do what you can to help the South Canterbury and North Otago primary producers. We are not mentioning wheat prices; it has got be-

yond that. It is neck or nothing now with 90 per cent, of us. We are not ashamed of it, for they are factors over which we have no control.” Mr. Garrick: “I urge that there should be no delay. In another week or two we will be past help.” Mr. Flatman: “You are on the vital point new.” Mr. Eurnctt: “Anyone who questions that it is not going to dain is a pessimis..” A Sad Tale. Mr. Hamilton: “It is a sad tale on top of Wxiat you have had to suffer.” Mr. Burnett: “I don’t hear a whine. The spirit of farmers is magnificent.” He went on to say that what he had said applied not only to back-country sheep but also to old fat ewes. It had also been suggested to him that there was a field for unemployed labour. Mr. Anderson said that his firm had several clients who had stated that they could see nothing for it but tc cut the throats of 1000 or 2000 sheep. Mr. Burnett: “The main thing is to impress on people that we are in a new era, and that prices we have been used to cannot be maintained. If we don’t adjust ourselves we are going to starve.” After leaving Totara Valley, the party proceeded through the Sutherlands district to Tycho, and on through Claremont and back to Timaru, the trip affording Mr. Hamilton an opportunity of seeing the state of the country* Salient Points. After returning to Timaru, the members of ttV party assembled to again discuss the salient features of the situation, and it was decided, through Mr. Hamilton, to request the Government to assist farmers in the following manner:— “(1) The position is so disastrous that half-rail rates stock to and from feed is net sufficient, and we hold that it should be free railage to and from outside grazing. (2) The concession in railage rates to apply to sheep, cattle and hordes (both ways). “(3) Genuine sales of stock from farmer to farmer for the sake of getting supplies away from the vendor to the buyers, should have a concession of half railage. “(4) When a farmer is desirous of obtaining feed for his own feeding requirements, either through a firm or from the farmer direct, the Railway Department agree to carry such fodder free of railage, provided a declaration is forthcoming to the effect that no speculative profit is made on such food stuff by any middle man apart from commission, on such sale of feeding stuff for stock, which shall not exceed 5 per cent. “(5) The Minister was requested to stress to the Government the absolute necessity of immediate action being taken and thus saving many farmers in the drought area, facing what threatens to be absolute ruin.” Mr. Burnett raised the question of freezing companies endeavouring to effect such arrangement as would enable undergrade mutton or lamb to be killed and handled by the works at a price more in keeping with the relative value of the then marketable product, than the price which is now charged for killing and freezing what may be described as the usual grades of mutton and lamb. He pointed out that in the back-country alone there are 120.000 merino wethers running from 30-481 b. carcases, and also probably 200.000 crossbred sheep and lambs in the foothills and down country districts. which could and would be turned into edible food stuff, provided the cost of preparing same could be reasonably reduced. “Failing such an arrangement being carried into effect, probably the greater part of this stock will be lost to the country, owing vo the fact that the runholders and graziers, with the present high overhead cost of killing and freezing, will have no option but to kill such stock and fill the gullies with them or burn them, thus creating a national waste. The reason for the national waste in regard to the above-mentioned sheep is that hitherto these sheep have been held on the low country for wool growing, and in cases of ewes, for wool growing and breeding. Unless such sheep can be dealt with by freezinc on the lower conversion rate, they will have to be killed and left on the runs, which, no doubt, is a national waste. ’ The question of arrears of rent and interest was also discussed, and it was decided to ask the Government that these be postponed free of interest, io be dealt with comprehensively over all lands dealt with by the Crown. It was considered that the rate of interest and rent for carrying on should be based on the export parity of the production of the farms. If and when the land comes back to normal value, then the question of replacing the postponed amounts could be considered.