FALLING FRIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16366, 3 March 1921, Page 2

FALLING FRIES.

DOMINION S PRIMARY ' PRODUCTS, l.i KK' T ON SOLWER -SETTLERS. [Per Press Association. 2 WELLINGTON. March 2. The H.on \V. Nosworthy, Minister of Agrioul ture. interviewed to-day, stated that there was no question that the fall in the valtfe of primary products, meat a/id wool, as well as the lower prices of some of the principal commodities, except butter, must impress the densest persons with the seriousness of the whole position and cause them to realise, that only by the most strenuous efforts, increased production and absolute economy on the part of. the, Government and private individuals can the outlook be improved. It. really was tremendous. The increase in shipping freights made the drop in prices worse. He was not disposed t«. lake a pessimistic view, but pointed out that meat now was down to the region of what it was fourteen veal's ago. and it seemed that wool, which brought in thirteen millions sterling iasi year, would on present market prices realise only f rou four and n-hnlf to five millions. Both freights and price-, he believed, were bound <_> re-adjust themselves to something like before long. interviewed, said prices would affect soldier settle/s in the same way as others, hut very /few soldiers were taking to fattening (cattle. hough a number were sheep-farming Good judges were strongly of opinion that, in most cases land was purchased for soldiers at prices certainly not beyond the value at the time of purchase, and the interest charged soldier settlers was t i per cent 'when paid promptly, which compared favourably with the ordinary rate of interest obtaining to-day, certainly not less than 6 per cent. The Hon T>. H. Guthrie agreed that most soldiers stock farming were going in for Vuecding, not fattening. The Government was making arrangements to help soldiers over the time of slump in regard t<» wool and meat. Tho price of store stock would be lowered, because, it depended on the prices of fat stock. The Government had been meeting ,-oldiers up to the present by postponing rent, taking instalments or capitalising it or. in extremely necessitous cases, remitting altogether Each soldier s case was considered on its merits by the land board for the district. Present meat prices per pound in ; hr* "Wellington.-Taranaki district . which, however, nr subject. io reduction, compare as follows with prices paid by the Imperial Government last year: • To-da v Last Year, d. d. 0\ beef . . • 4 •’ Cow beef . . 2L G Lamb 7 b Prime wethers 1 -G Lira quality ewes 3 41