EFFICIENCY BOARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12194, 18 December 1917, Page 7

EFFICIENCY BOARD.

CANTER-BT"RY COVNCIL'S MEETING. The first annual meeting of ihe General Council of the Agricultural, Pastoral and Dairying industries in the Canterbury military district, in connection with the National Ellioiency Board, was opened to-day at the Chamber of Commerce hall. There was-a large attendance of delegates and guests at the luncheon which preceded the formal opening of the. conference, the Mayor, Mr 11. Holland, | presiding. Among those present were j Mr W. Ferguson, diainnan of the j Efficiency Board, and Mr ,1. A. Frostiek, Canterbury Commissioner, Colonel Chaffey, and Mr ,j. J. Cnrrv. .'Mayor of Blenheim. Brief speeches accompanied the toasts honoured after the luncheon. In proposing " King and Empire," the Mayor welcomed ihe visiting delegates to the city, and offered to do anything he could to make their visit j enjoyable. He said that- the council would have nninv important mailers to discuss in connection with' national eliiciency. I!,, would take that opportunity to direct, attention to the rapid manner in which the native forests were disappearing ; it was the duty of ail public men to assist, in i cafl'oivst a t ion sell (tries. 'I he\ must consider those i who were to conic alter them, and il was not just tor the present generation to use up the native forests. Another important (|iie.-,tion was the waterpower of ihc Dominion. ( hristchui'ch had the opportunity of enjoy- j ing some oi the advantages v. aterpower could eonler on a community, wdh the Lake Coleridge lmlro-elee-tricity supply. At the time of t lie coal j strike on the West ( oast, lie had beer, asked il it wire advisable to save coal locally by forbidding electric ligb'--signs. reducing the lighting of the streets, and reducing the tram service, but he had replied ihat s'udi reductions were unnecessary, owing to j the hydro-electric facilities. Such j electric pow'er could bo of great aid to . I lie nianulactiirer, and was an impur- j j taut iactor in Lhe savin a; of the coai | j .supplies. The Christ iTmrch Tramway j | Board and the City Council had saved | the .State -'''l,(K'O ton--ot ;oa! in -.t.- year. ; That- coal, worth L'lOil.OUO. had been saved for use on the I raiisports, or by the community in genera). The tanner was also interested, owing to the schemes of extracting nitrogen from the atmosphere depending on their practical aceess to cheap rleelricily. It was also proposed lo start a new industry at Now Brighton, by the installation of a marine salt plant, which won id I enable the salt to he produced at about > one-third of (lie present, irciglil charges, saving not only valuable shippiim space ! hui over idUO.UMO annually. 11 was lo lie hoped that nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of lhe new indmIry. The question oi agricultural line, tors was exercising lhe minds o! (armors and others in many parts oi I lie Empire. lie had been aiuhorilal icly informed that the petrel-driven tractors bad been a complele iailure .u England- No appeal for eliicienev could be proper!v made without considering the present condition ol settlement in Canterh'iJry. 'lhe pro- . vinee was rapidly Using population, mainly i hrough laud aggregation, Large areas of land in Canterbur'.* needed to be subdivided and more pr-i« f'.tablv occupied It v. ;c. heart break]mi to rid" through Prank.- Penin-ula burn lies ami not see a single house Me was there to sp -ak primarily lor ih" eflicii ncy of Canlerhuiy and to hold up the honour of tin province. lie would lie glad if the council wouid do soiiuthing lo help lo retain ilie services ol 'he young men. A d<- puiai ion was to wait on Sir .Joseph Ward Io- morrow, and perhaps some o| the council would also accompany it. iic did noi mini so much losing the three seats in Par liameni as the great los- to lhe columnnii\ of trade, money, etc. I lie .Nnri'i Island was procressiiiL'. ami. although | lie was not envying the N'-u ih Islam!, he Imped t lie coum il would v.ive s'-rioiis thoiiLdit- to the dlmitinn ibal had developed regarding- set tb ineiit iu ('ant-'r-hury. Colonel Chaffey, in response to the toast, expressed pat riol n* i-eni iment s and said that '' wa> an honour to nrt end and l'» be on the job they wen 1 em namely, national eliiciency and to help to win the war. II" saw it more clearly i very day that they were waiting energies. Organisation was necessarv, and lie believed that il laitns were worked together tin labour supply would lie marl:' more eiVicicnt. Mr ('firry proposed '' National 111 du ■ ■ trv." and said that the local industries ro'uld be regarded with increasing n - sped. Before the war New Zealand held a. rc-nrd for exports ill proper I iou to population, and siivc 'lie war started the totals had cone up hv leaps ami bounds. Primary prodimts were of course then- leading itidusll .. e.tl to per cent of the export, being made of such products. limy should v\is,ev prepare lor ihr future, and to be i ead\ to pav for the Dominion's share m ihe war. The lime had coin ■ when the Dominion should consider the oxter:s : >ni of its ma mil act it neg iudu--l l ie--- Ihe > owed the national prosperity at pre-, u: to the high prices of the primary products, but these would not remain at the same lev d after lhe war 11m count t'V called ;is never Indole to its patriots. He hoped to see a iimnvigorous closer set t e nmnt polic tevived with a suecial view to the ie liatriation of sobUrs. He could congratulate the people of ('anterbury on; the increase of I lm product mn ot lucerne, j '[ jie qni 11 na I s;i h 11' > n also imght l>l'o\'e j to be the b.i - of a national industry, j bio urged coinplet in g lhe railway ba.-J:- / bone of the South UUnd am the link ine up with the Marlnoroiigh N.unrls, , (lest iiied i o "he tic naval U.seot -to.Dominion in the iuture. Ihe lo.i.ainsj o l ' the State and manuiaci urei w ouM ; have to be rc as! in view of t lie iron. Lhe war- in conclusion M (.» ■, ■ pleaded for a better chance 10. tie " The'-M-ivor of Tim art (Mr I resiionded, and sam i-htH the pioblcins I lacing tlum were how lo piatav tbe lc- ; | Lurucd soldier on the land ami now i. j provide for the paymen. ol i 1..; -o.iaU share ol the cost ot lie 1 >.. ii v u , | i eduein.- the present st aiubird el 'l'liev should set .iIK-nt developing V"; I industries necesmry for the.r w.U-ben g r-" 11 - , iiort.ations. He in.lH-vtu i" e .i | electricitv held Vtipronn<e ior Lao j future, dt was electrical power that had helped Germany. It Hfv wi-lad New Zealand .to prosper, organisation and co-operation Acre ncco,bsary. lio did not. think t'lie pres-. ut, hanbiug s.vs- ■ tem was su tlicienl ly helpful io Had. rs | The niiiiu esseniial lor a naukei st'eineu to be to know how to say "" No poll t-e.lv. (Laughter.) Mr W. Ferguson -and Mr I'roslick were accordetb musical b.onuurs betore. the former ve.-p-ouded to lhe toast, lie said that New Zealand could he con- ; gratulated on all ihe people being workers; there \ure very hwv who hail not earned any repose they might be enjoying. Tliati capacity to work, and the climate, were main 1 actors in the national prosperity. I.he exports, however, had not during the past ten years kept progress with the growth ol the national and municipal debt's. Some scheme m'ust be evolved to increase the exports of the country and to improve national industries. Sdenttlic re-<areh would b(. able to give its aid; the- board at present, had a scheme with tixit in view under consideration. Me hoped that the council would support a de- - nia.iul that the Governmunt should spend money on industrial: and agricultural scientific research. The population of the Dominion must: be increasedThe children must be kept healthy, and • a country life was the most, healthy for them. The citizens must be induced to go to the country. .More village sntilemertts with small industries should bo .instituted, tuui a heall-hy race of men 1 and women would be raised. Country people must; be given more of tin:- comforts of city life. (Hear, hear.) After a short adjournment, the ecu- <3 V:

HUSSAR« ■WJOfIWJ!B^»^UHHJBa ferenee was formally opened by the rending of n. presidential address by Mr Frostiek. THE COMMISSIONER'S ADDRESS. The Commissioner said that, it afforded him very .gival pleasure to meet representatives fr.nu the committees. The movement was ;i new one, bill was of tiie greatest importance, 1o the Dominion ir. general and to their districts in particular. The Eflioieney Board had been en I rusted with very important. duties, alt-hough pMrelv m an advisory capacity Io the Government, with unrest. rioted powers of investipa--1 ion. Tlie organisation of the country to meet, tho military situation was one. el its duties, and as the member of the board in ehar.ee of ihe Canterbury I military 'district, he was proud to ho j aide lo say that the people in that dis- | t.riet had responded t-o the Imperial call for men in a manner second to none, in the Dominion. The Committees m A dvico in everv district had performed their ditties without, fear or iavour. and tlie organisation was now working verv satisfactorily • It wa.s recognised j i>y the Government: ami by the general | public that a verv large number of faimcrs in tlie Canterbury district who ! controlled areas "oppble of producing wheat, aside their personal ad van- I tages. and increased the area for wheat j culture ns far as it was possible to do. . In do'.i'i'i so lliev faced the ]abour_ pi ole j lem which the increased cultivation of ; wheat intensified, relying lirst. on their own efforts to meet whatever situation mi'-dit arise, an'l secondly on receivin-r the iielp of a suflicieut number oi volvivteers to make up whatever deliciem v inbdu exist with regard to labour lor j harvest, operations. The time for that | appeal had not. arrived, but lie, was j sure if t.-he fanners would eo-opciate 1 ! a„r| heln each oilier as far «s orcum- | Malices nermiited. the difticiiliy would j be fully' met. If it- j"""* 1 furrlier' heln v -r< needed. they should , t,'!,.-:, ..in. .i. r . c,™-! ro j U oes a« soon as possible. so iha an , . MlM ea[ ni' if lit- In- made to the pcuple joi i ihe iv'c.' sary help. The organisation , ~f 11) ( > \;-t iotia! Efhoicnc\ Boaii. m i hot, e,: at lislied simply lor the purpose . of meet in t£ the military siC.ialion. but . I tor promoting national cfhcieiio , , { Loth during and after the uar « , hoped that as a, result, ot no ; nual conlerence. there wiild »<■ 1 . l,lh j I limbed on sound, ceononnc and busing Ir ».* /> v.-r 'i 11 \ 11 ] c'l n AVllK'll. n JHi> • pe'dv conducted and controlled, would 1 i , >r n national svstem i i",Tin liie nucleus ol a nauouei . «u. W h I ::s M r ii.' lllonT . The count ry's enabh d . t0 ,-a. t th(> t a'sa'tou ninth the ad.bi ional oeln , biii m •• ■' j w-ar burden rested upon 1h " i which hearv as it was to-day. mighty -.1 vbe doubled belore. the at i Thee mm I- net measure their ability V> ; iiu-.ii- ohlmaiions by the. mai.vt t , irio,,, of to-dav. Mr it, wool 1m - ter cheese, indeed, all Ih., main mis ,-,i product ion, might and v mild fall in pri'o The, iiabilitv side ol the national l',,], )n ee-sheei could not be reduced ex<.op). bv th- creation of additional asset. Therefore, production must lie 111d. 11. eould. be believed, b> doubled, and that beliel was upon ihe results accomplished in other eouu- ; , "Ahere MaeutiHc methods were | iiiiopied. Th,- necessary laxal.on must.! be met. and d onlv If met- li> I those v.ho possesscid th • ability '«» I'**> • i (.and. was ihe one -thing which could noi | disappear. Manufacturing industries | inielll , by economic pressure, become j entirely wiped out, and, in the process ,• if wiinnif out, tens of tbo'i^aiids ol | ranpayei>, would disappear, who hither- , to' shared the naliona-ii J'tnrden. bu.' | the\. ihroui.di no tan!: of their own. j had to leave it to be shouldered and j provided for bv tlie products of the : bind. IJenrv (iconic, the founder 0 f 1 •he siu ; ;le-t a '. h • . eolltviided lhaf noihim; in ado by man should be taxed ;;t ;i||. I, li t th.'lt. ! lie Ja lid sliOtjld |I,IV it ; rill. 'ihe author of 1-I,at system uas ! first- a. pnii'er. then an editor, !It \ • | i heorisl • but neve" a tanner. Hi- | nieiil ioued that fee- the purpose of emphasising the nece-'-iiy for a increases in ihe popnlation of lie.- countl"'.'. aed bee'llis" no ehe-s of "idle column idly ivas so vitally inverested in the population pi'oblem as the farming communii;,. If be anv means our population could be doubled, it would not add nrte pennv to ihe country's liabilities, Iwt v.ould enorinoiish incr rise the ;r- ----- 'A'ell erlneaterl and scientifically trained men wore the greatest assets any country could possess. There were hundreds of -ways in which tli-v mighr improve llu-ir n posit ion; and jn doing so add 1o the nalion's wealth. The t eounir*' soon '.could lie face 10 face \\ith a mosr <2icantie oconomje st and it would nee.] r ,i| f]i>■ sireneth they possessed to meet, d , but if the\ facf<! tliope things in t.fce spirit- of coi o]M"'rrit'on and tr - i" eornradoshio tliev would not only hold their own, but al- f o make their country attractive o> | tens of thousands of other people who would come to us and help us in rlu budding of a new Briton m the south, which would reflect credit, on the builders ol ill ir, and succeeding generations.